TRAGEDY JIT A CROSSING,

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 48, 26 February 1926, Page 6

TRAGEDY JIT A CROSSING,

FOUR LIVES LOST.' TRAIN AND LORRY COLLIDE. A TERRIFIC IMPACT. WRECKAGE CARRIED 300 YARDS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) PALMERSTON X., Thursday. One of the most shocking traeedie, •„ the lengthy history of accidents in New Zealand occurred at McKay's Crossing, two miles north «•' Paekakariki, at 5.50 o'clock this evening when a train crashed into a motor lorry four of the occupants of which w ei ' killed and one was injured. The names of the victims ar «> . follow:— are »' KILLED. William Ernest Fordham, carrier ascii 34 years, partner in. the firm o{ Fordham and Childs. residing at *i« Cuba Street, Wellington. ' ' Mrs. Rubia Victoria Fordham, aged 34 years, wife of the previous victim. William Wallis, aged 31 years, of 22 Nelson Street, Wellington. Mrs. Florence Wallis, aged 27 years •*». of William Wallis. * ' INJURED. Versita Marie Fordham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fordham, aged nine years' Suffering from shock and abrasions Her condition is not regarded a« serious. The deceased and the injured cHld were all passengers on a lorry, which was conveying a full load of furniture from Wellington to Te Hora. The lorry was negotiating the crossing when ix. was struck by the passenger train for Wellington which leaves Palmerston North at 3.43 p.m. and is due in Welliivr. ton at 7.13 p.m. ° The crossing traverses the railway Un« at right angles. The impact was terrific. The lorry was strucK full on. 'he furniture beiascattered in all directions, some being found 300 yards from the scene of the accident. ' The bodies of the victims were shockingly mutilated.