CASUALTIES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15536, 11 March 1916, Page 13

CASUALTIES.

TLXWALD CROSSING FATALITY. [ Tho adjourned inquest touching tlie death of Lloyd Lissainan Harrison, aged six years, wno was killed through ins father's motor-car coming into collision with tho .North, bound express train at Tiivwald on February '2\.nh, ivns held before Mr V. G. Day* IKstrict Coroner, at Afihburton yesterday. George Harriso:i, farmer, stated that on tho evening in question he was driving homo irom Ashburton to Aiiama. He approached die turn to the railway crossing at about IS miles an hour, ai.<[ then cut off the petrol, which reduced the speed to about 10 miles an hour. He had ju?t given the boy some chocolate* and a drink of raspberry. The lad smiled, and said, ••That is good." Witness was not thinking of the train, and who:, he looked up he first saw the funnel or the engine*. H 0 heard a. crash, and the next tiling he remembered was that he was on his feet, some distance clear of the line searching for his son. Had he not shut off the petrol he-believed the car would have- just cleared the rails, ami the collision would have been avoided. A verdict of accidental death was returned, the Coroner adding that no b!am 0 was attachable to anyone. He further remarked that it would be a good thing if the Kaihvny authorities could d<> something to impress upon motor-car and motor-cycle, drivers the regulations affecting railway crossings, and that if the drivers of cars and motor-cycles would make a practice of stopping when, approaching a railway crossing there would b 0 very few accidents.

-Mr Morgan, Traffic Inspector, expressed the opinion that ,'dl drivers of motor vehicles should be licensed, and that before such licenses were issued, the drivers should give proof that they were we'll acquainted with the railway regulations.

On Thursday morning a simple, but lamentable, accident happened at the •'■reenpark Creamery, resulting in the death of Donald Angus Mangels, the youngest child of 31 r Henry Mangels. the manager of the creamery. Deceased i\nd another small boy were amusing themselves in dragging the empty cans along the express, which had just relumed from delivering tho cream at tho Tiii Tnpu Dairy Factory. Overbalancing, the lad fell off the tailboard of the express, landing heavily on the hard concrete/ platform, and- dragging on top of him a. can weighing twentyfour pounds. The can seemed to strike him about the right temple and afc the back of the right ear. He was picked up unconscious, and Dr. Cooko was summoned from Lincoln, but despite every care, lie succumbed to his injuries yesterday at noon. Maxwell Keys, a boy 12 years of age. the son of Mr H.'lveys, of Feathenston street, Palmerston North (who was for many years on the commercial staff of thc'Christchurch Press Company), met with a painful accident on "Wednesday morning, as tho result of his bicycle skidding. He fell heavily on his left arm, breaking the bone at' the wrist. Ho was admitted to the hospital.