HAMMOCKS IN GUARDS' VANS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10294, 14 March 1899, Page 6

HAMMOCKS IN GUARDS' VANS.

HOW THE INJURED SHOULD BE CARTtIED ON TRAINS. The conveyance by rail of injured persons was briefly touched on at yesterday's meeting of'the St. John Ambul&hce Association. Dr. Irving mentioned that a lady friend of his saw the man John McDougall, who was run over at Kaiapoi by a truck which was being shunted. The doctor said he believed the man bled to death on the way down' He was laid on the floor of the guard's van, where he would .feel acutely the shaking of tlie train when it stopped, and also the rattle which is felt when the train is in motion, which is caused by the unevenness of the permanent way. Dr. Irving pointed out that much of this unnecessary suffering could have been done away with if a hammock had been slung. Mr Baker said that tbe Association's stretchers were considered better than hammocks. Dr. Irving pointed out that hammocks were used by the English railway authorities, and on his motion tbe Association decided to approach the railway authorities of the colony with a view of having facilities placed in guards' vans for banging hammocks. NOTES AND INCIDENTS. Our special reporter,.writing from Rakaia yesterday, says: .Mr Burnett, whp| came down by the express to-day, was out this afternoon taking measurements and levels on the tine southwards from the railway stationMr A. Donald, of Acton station, was standing on the opposite side of the line from the station, end says that the second train had almost pulled up when it collided with the other. He waa one of the first into the carriage- to rescue the imprisoned passengers. The guard of the express has been blamed ' for hastiness in turning out those who as- : aisled to carry the injured into the guard's van and carriages that were set apart for : them. I assisted to carry in one injured j ' man and lay him on cushions on a seat, and did not see the guard interfere with any who were attempting to make the patients comfortable. He urged them to be as quick as ' possible, as he was anxious to get the train away, and the only ones I saw turned out I of the van were some young men.who said they would go home by the express- The ' guard said "No, you cannot, you must go by > your own train," but none of these were in- . jured so far as I saw. | We have been requested to contradict the report circulated in town yesterday, that j Mr C. E. Fisher's little boy, Jack, had died from the effect of injuries sustained in the ] train accident His Worship the Mayor of Christchurch has decided to write specially to the relatives of tbe killed in the recent accident, conveying the sympathy of the Governor, the Premier, the City Council, &c With regard to the injured, their number will prevent. his Worship communicating personally with them. He refers them to the sympathetic telegrams published above. " Mr Charles H. Winny, writing on behalf of the New Brighton residents, acknowledges the TritiHT_Mt_ of jir John Thomson

in keeping a car in the Square until the arriva) of the passengers from Rakaia on Sunday morning.