KILLED AT RAKAIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 190, 25 May 1936, Page 6

KILLED AT RAKAI A

MOTOR-CYCLIST HITS ENGINE.

SEVERE INJURIES TO HEAD.

DEATH OCCURS WITHIN AN HOUR

i Suffering, from severe injuries to his 3head as a result of colliding with an engine in the yards of the Rakaia. railway station at 4.40 o’clock on Sat—urday afternoon, Mr Reginald Foster Painter, aged '2B years, residing at Darfield:, died before the ambulance from Ashburton could arrive at the scene of the accident. Mr Painter, who had attended a football match at Rakaia, where he had gone in search of work, was crossing, on a motor—cycle, the lines in the middle of the township where there are four sets of rails. o’ll two of'- these, rakes of trucks were standing and shunting was going on. He made his way slowly,through a gap between two sets of trucks. An engine with trucks passed in front of him and he then started to cross _the remaining lines. An engine without any truck attached, however, was travelling from Ealing to Christchurch, and Mll‘ Painter rode into this. He was proceeding slowly at the time. As he fell from his motor-cycle, he went forward and is thought to have struck his head against the engine close to the firebox. The ambulance from Ashburton was summoned immediately, but the injured man died, 40 minutes after the accident. His body was later taken to the morgue at Ashburton. Little damage was done to the motorcycle and was confined mainly to the front wheel and forks. An. inquest into the circumstances of his death was onene-d yesterday morning before the District Coroner (Mr E. O. Bathurst). Mr G. H. Cham—bers (Stationmaster at Ashb-urton) represented the Railway Department. Evrdence of identification was given by Mr Painter’s father, Mr John Painter, and the hearing was adjourned. It will be resumed at Rakaia Within the next two weeks.

FIVE INJURED. C‘ARS IN HEAD-0N COLLISION. TWO METHVEN RESIDENTS. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Five persons were injured when two motor-cars met head—on outside the Rolleston railway station on the Main South Road at 9.30 last evening. Two of the occupants were admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital with in« juries to the head and body, and the other three were treated at the hospital and were later discharged. The injured persons are :—- Mrs A. D. Strachan, of Dunedin, injuries to head and legs. Admitted. Mr F. 0. Bold, 39 Cashmere View Road, St. Martins, fractured thigh and facial injuries. Admitted. Mr C. H. Ireland, Methven, injuries to head, face, ribs, and hands. Later discharged. Mrs D. Milne, housekeeper for Mr Ireland at Methven, head and leg injuries. Later discharged. Mr A. D. Strachan, of Dunedin, head injuries. Later discharged. Mr Ireland, with Mrs Milne as passenger, was returning to Methven from Christchurch, and the other three were travelling from Dunedin, Mr and Mrs Strachan to stay with friends at Mairehau. Mr Ireland’s car, when it met Mr Strachan’s, pushed it back off the road. The front of each car was badly smashed in, and both cars were later moved to the side of the road.’

The injured people were taken to hospital in thé St. John Ambulance, which, with the driver and two assistants, made eight alfiogether in the 'vehicle.

None of the occupants of the two cars is critically ill.

INFANT’S TRAGIG DEATH. OHJOKED BY PIECE OF_ APPLE. DUNEDIN, May 24. An infant, aged one year and nine months, died on Saturday afternoon through being choked by a piece of apple lodging in its threat. The child, William Andrew Timms, had; just been bathed by his mother, and she gave him an apple to eat. When the child showed signs of distress the parents endeavoured Without success to re—move the obstruction and then hurried to Dr. Stuart Moore for assistance, but when they arrived there the child was dead. A certificate of the cause of death has been given by Dr. Moore, and an inquest is not necessary. DROWNED IN THE AVON. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A man named Edward Trevelyn Martin, aged 57, a dairyman, of Dellington, was found, drowned in the river Avon ysterday. .