DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 January 1940, Page 4

DOUBLE TRAGEDY

IN CROSSINO SMASH

TRAIN STRIKES MOTOR CAR

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER KILLED. (By Telegraph—Press Asociatlon.) MANAKAU, January 28. A mother and daughter were killed' and a father and daughter were injured when a motor-car was struck by a non-stop special excursion train on the level crossing a few chains north of Manakau railway station at 4.35 this afternoon. The victims were: — KILLED. Mrs Beatrice Ellen Chote, widow, 3 Izard Road. Khandallah, Wellington: killed outright. Miss Ivy Beatrice Chote, aged 36, daughter of Mrs Chote; died on the way to Pamerston North Hospital. INJURED. Mr Charles Cotter, Manakau; serious head injuries, condition reported tonight to be easier. Miss Dorothy. Cotter, daughter of Mr Cotter; fractured leg, condition satisfactory. The driver of the car was Mr Cotter, who was a very well-known resident of Manakau. The accident occurred when Mi- Cotter was driving from his home in Post Office Road, opposite the Manakau railway station, to join the main Wellington road. His car was struck near the left-hand rear wheel and thrown through the air for fully 40 feet. The vehicle was completely wrecked. Standing, at the station at the time was the down Palmerston North-Paekaka-riki train, which was waiting for the special, carrying Exhibition excursionists, to pass through. Assistance was quickly forthcoming, but Mrs Chote was found to be dead. The injured people were placed aboard the train, but Miss Chote died before Palmerston North was reached. Mrs Chote who was a sister- of. Mr Cotter, .with her three daughters, had motored from Wellington in the morning to spend the day with her brother, and intended io return home this evening. During the afternoon two of her daughters went to play tennis and the party that became involved in the smash was on its way to look over a friend’s flower garden.