CROSSING SMASH

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 87, 22 January 1938, Page 6

CROSSING SMASH

TRAIN STRIKES MOTOR-CAR. FOUR PEOPLE SUFFER INJURY. VEHICLE WRECKED BY IMPACT. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Four people were injured, a mother and her daughter seriously, in a level crossing smash at the Colombo Street crossing at 2.15 o’clock this morning. Although the train was travelling at five miles an hour, and pulled up within a few feet, the car was wrecked. The injured were:

Mrs F. M. Aitkin, severe head injuries and badly lacerated knee. Miss Milly Aitkin, aged 16, fracturech pelvis and head injuries. Miss Myrtle Stephenson, aged 16, minor abrasions to her legs. Mr J. H. Stephenson, driver of the car, aged 19, cut over left knee and strained muscles.

The four injured people lived at 150 King Street, Sydenham. Mrs Aitkin and her daughter were admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital, and their condition this morning was only fair. Operations were to bo carried out on both patients later in the day. Mr Stephenson and Miss Stephenson were treated as outpatients, and after attention were able to go home.

Although the train was only crawling, the collision was of such force that the car was tossed aside and turned round facing the direction from which it had come. It was crashed against a post-and-rail fence and was carried for some distance along the footpath.

DEATH IN BLAZING WHARE. AN OLD MAN’S FATE. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Mr ‘William Baker Taylor, aged 78 years, was burned to death an an early hour this morning in an old whare near Kaiapoi. Mr Taylor lived by himself. Mr E. T. Price, who saw the fire, was not able to approach because of the terrific heat. There was no wind, but the whare was made of old, dried wood and flamed up like tinder. Later Mr Taylor’s charred remains were found among the ashes.