CROSSING TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 276, 22 November 1927, Page 8

CROSSING TRAGEDY.

TRAIN AND LORRY.

COLLIDE NEAR BUCKLAND.

ONE HAN KILLED.

TWO OTHERS INJURED

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

PUKEKOHE. this day,

The level crossing at Buckland was the scene of a fatality this morning. The south-bound Thames express, which passed through Buckland at 10.50 a.m., ran into a furniture laden motor truck.

There were three occupants of the lorry, William Austin Braithwaite, owner of the vehicle, who lived at Wiri; Leslie Jaraes Braithwaite. his son, who was driving, and a man named Frederick William Cox, who was removing to a farm he had acquired at Harrisville.

An eye witness or the accident states that the engine of the lorry appeared to stall when crossing the* rails, and before the occupants had time to escape the express dashed into the lorry in the vicinity of the seat, the occupants being thrown out.

Braithwaite, senior, and Cox were found near the rails. The rormer was in a state of collapse, and he died a minute or so after he had been picked up. Scott was seriously injured, and was taken to a hospital. Braithwaite, jnr., who was furthest, away from the engine, was thrown on the cattle stop and was only slightly injured. The lorry was badly smashed, and the furniture was scattered in all directions. Mr. Braithwaite was a former resident of Buckland, and was well known there.