ACCIDENTS & DEATHS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 260, 16 August 1930, Page 5

ACCIDENTS & DEATHS.

STRUCK BY A TRAIN. RAKAIA MAN SERIOUSLY HURT. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Mr Alec Brown, of Rakaia, was severely injured on the main south line between the Clarence Road level crossing and the Aldington station at 5 p.m. yesterday, the south express striking him as 'lie walked along the railway track. It was believed that Mr Brown was taking a short cut from the trotting grounds, and that he intend'ed walking down the side of the track to the Addington station. Two youths who were near the Clarence Road crossing when the accident occurred stated that they heard the engine's whistle screaming some time before the train reached the crossing.

The stationmaster at Addington stated last evening that the enginedriver saw the man, who was walking alongside the track. He sounded the whistle, and the man, instead of jumping clear to the right, jumped to the left, and was hit by the engine, being thrown clear and hitting the iron fence on the left-hand side of the track.

When the train pulled up, Mr Brown was lying alongside the track. The guard's van stopped at the spot where he lay, the tram having pulled un in less than its own length. At a late hour last night Mr Brown was reported to be in a serious condition.

Mr Brown lived by himself at Rakaia.

LEVEL CROSSING SMASH.

PALMERSTON NORTH, Aug. 15

I A narrow escape from a fatal accii dent occurred at a level railway crossing in the Square, opposite the ,Post Office, at 9 o'clock this morning, when a goods train struck a Sedan car driven by Miss Mavis Evans. The car was carried forty yards and badly smashed before it was thrown off the lines. The occupant escaped with severe bruises, and the loss of several teeth. She is also suffering from shock. WATERSIDER INJURED. CHRISTCHURCH, August 15. Mr Thomas Lewis, a watersider, while engaged this morning in stackinn- laths in a railway truck, slipped and fell head-first on to the wharf. Mr Lewis was removed to the casualty ward. His injuries are grave. MAORI SHOT DEAD. TE KUITI, This Day. A Maori named Matetu Paha was found shot in the back, three miles from Pukemako. near Mangepehi, yesterday afternoon. The occurrence was apparently accidental, but there are no particulars as to the cause, though it is reported that deceased had no trigger guard on the gun.