ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21083, 7 February 1934, Page 10

ACCIDENTS

COLLISION AT CROSSING TWO BKOTHEKS INJURED AT SPRING-STON

Two brothers had a narrow escape from death yesterday, when their car was struck by a train, on the Springston railway crossing. Both men were fairly seriously injured and were admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital. They were:—

William Henry Sunckell, Drain road, Halswell, injuries to head and to right leg. Albert John Sunckell, Dram road, Halswell, shock, and injuries to his right arm. Both are more than 60 years ol age. The injured men left their farm at Halswell early yesterday morning to go to Irwell, and were travelling along the main road toward Leeston. Mr A. J. Sunckell was driving. When they were within 20 feet of the Springston crossing the driver saw a train approaching and applied his brakes He found he was not able to stop and endeavoured to turn to the right, but the engine struck the car m the middle of the radiator. Neither man was thrown out and only the front of the car was damaged, the engine being pushed back toward the chassis. The men were attended by Dr. E. J. Cooke, of Lincoln, and a message was immediately sent for a St. John Free Ambulance. „ . . The crossing at Springston is about half a mile from the township and intersects the road at an angle of 4j degrees. There is a clump of gorse bushes on one side of the road and this partiallv obscures the view of the line. The train left Southbridge at 7.50 a.n).. and arrived at the crossing at 8.30 am At the time of the accident it was slowing down. The train arrived in Christchurch at 10.9 a.m., 31 minutes late. , ~, , . , A tribute to the speed with which an ambulance was sent from Christchurch was paid after the accident ,by Constable A. J. Orchard, of Lincoln. A telephone message wa.s received at the St. John Free Ambulance station in Peterborough street, at 0.55 a.m., and the ambulance arrived at the crossing, which is IS miles out. 25 minutes later. SHOOTING .MISHAP SMALL ROY LIKES RIFLE :riii; *ssi>ciiTiOM rn.tcmu.) .MASTERTON. February 6. An unusual shooting accident occurred at Otaraia station, about eight miles from Martinborough. this evenin" as a result of which Ezear Webb, a farm hand, 20 years of age, was admitted to hospital in a serious condition. it appears thai another station employee, William Busch. left a pea rifle he was cleaning outside the house for a few minutes, and that in his absence a 10-year-old boy picked up the rifle, which went off. The bullet entered the stomach of Webb, who was standin;; close by. The injured man. whose parents live in Wellington, was immediately conveved to Fcatherston Hospital, where an" operation will be necessary. HOY WOUNDED IN BOTH LEGS l'ff.:,F AsSUtli [ION TM.V.CBAU.I NEW PLYMOUTH. February 6. Gunshot wounds in both legs were j received by John Hickey. 14 years of I nake. in a shooting accident on Sunday evening. The boy came out of a gully in the Jme of tire as his brother was shooting at a hare running in front of him. Whiie he missed the main charge from the gun, the boy received a number of pellets in the lower parts of both legs. The injuries necessitated his removal to the New Plymouth Hospital, where, after an X-ray examination, it was decided to operate for the removal of the pellets. 1 SFHOOLGIRL FRACTI KES AKM Mnv McLellan. a small girl Jiving at 14 Byron street, Sydenham, fell while playing in the Sydenham School grounds yesterday and suffered a compound fracture of a forearm. She was conveyed to hospital by the St. John Free Ambulance.