GRAVELY INJURED

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 252, 25 October 1933, Page 8

GRAVELY INJURED

TWO CONSTABLES. CAR STRUCK BY EXPRESS. HUNTLY POLICE STAFF. (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") HUXTLY, this day. Two police officers, Constables G. R R. Robertson and J. W. Shields, were gravely injured just before 2 o'clock this afternoon, when the Rotorua express crashed into their car as they were passing over the Raynor Street level crossing. They were taken to the Huntly Hospital and later to hosiptal at Hamilton. Xo doctor wan available in Huntly when the accident happened, and an urgent call was sent to Xgaruawahia for a medical man. Several scalp wounds and injuries about the shoulders were received by Constable Robertson, and when picked up he was semi-conscious. Grave internal injuries were received by Constable Shields, who was unconscious. The car was badly wrecked. The police car was moving slowly over the four tracks of rails at the crossing from the direction of the police statioi" when the Auckland-bound Rotorua express, slowing up to stop at the Huntly ■station, crashed into it. The car was hurtled some distance along the line. Constable Robertson took over the Huntly station on the retirement of Constable Ingram about a year ago. Previously he was at Waikaia. Constable Shields was stationed at Ponsonby until a few months ago, when he was transferred to Huntly to ■ assist Constable Robertson. Another police officer, Constable Worts, of Auckland, who is engaged on the Ruawaro mystery, saw the accident happen. He was standing on the Huntlv railway station, about .100 yards from the level crossing. He had brought in by car from Ruawaro Constable McCurragh, one of the searchers, who. injured his ankle in swampy country this morning, and who was being sent back to Auckland for treatment. Some distance away from the level crossing the train whistled as usual, and about 20 yards from the crossing it whistled again. Tlrerc was a screech of brakes as the driver attempted to pull up, but the engine crashed into the car and carried it about 35 yards before the car was tossed aside and overturned. • - ' Constable Worts raced across the station yard, and when he arrived at the police car Constable Shields was unconscious. The latter is in a critical condition, with severe internal injuries. The force of the collision had knocked Constable Shields frpm front seat of the car into the back, and Constable Robertson had. been pushed backwards through the front seat. Within a short time a doctor had arrived from Xgaruawahia, and the Hamilton Hospital Ambulance made a fast trip to take the men to the Waikato Hospital. One side of the police car was,,-ripped completely away, and so badly-was it wrecked that an axe had to be, used before the injured men could be released from the wreckage. At three o'clock Constable Robertson's condition was regarded as slightly improved.