TRUCK HIT BY TRAIN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21939, 13 November 1936, Page 10

TRUCK HIT BY TRAIN

DEATH OF DRIVER level crossing accident AT SOCKBURN Henry Williams, aged 37, of 64 Tennyson street, Sydenham, died at 11.15 last night from severe head injuries he received when the truck he was driving was struck by the Little River train yesterday morning, at the Sockburn level crossing. His son, Bryan i Williams, aged five years, received bad cuts and bruises, but was not seriously The boy was also admitted to the hospital. The accident occurred at 8.11 a.m. There was a terrific impact when the train, which wag, travelling from the city, struck the front part of the truck, which was laden, with a tank- containing tws tons of tar. The truck was swung completely round, and broken pieces of wood and steel were scattered over a wide area. The front wheels, axles, and springs of the lorry Were torn off, and sent hurtling through the air in a mass. Weighing more than a quarter of a ton, it struck and snapped a verandah post of a shop nearly 30 yards from the crossing, and, deflected In its flight, tore down a large portion of a picket fence near jhe shop. It came to rest when it struck a tree. A man who was reading a newspaper dropped it and ran, and the flying mass fell where he had been standing. The truck, which had turned out of Smith street to £o over the crossing on to the main road to the city, was struck on the driving side. Williams was thrown out and struck the paved road some yards away. The boy was also thrown out, but escaped injury. After the impact the train was pulled up, and. the engine crew, crossingkeeper, and bystanders gave assistance to the injured man and boy. The St. John Ambulance and a doctor were summoned, and the man and boy taken to the hospital. The truck was owned by E. L. Page, a cartage contractor, for whom Williams was working. The cab and front part of the bodywork were splintered, and the engine and radiator ruined. The tank of tar was flung to the road, and carried away part of the rear framework. DEATH OF MAN AND INFANT CHILD A VERDICT OF SUICIDE AIIOCUTIOH T£L*O*AU.) GORE, November 12. An inquest was held to-day into the deaths of William Joseph Thomas Green and his infant child, who were found in a water trough on the farm of Mr P. H. Nee, at Otama. at 11 o’clock last evening. Evidence by neighbours showed that Green was in normal health. Nothing was known of any family difference, and they could not account for Green’s action. Agnes Isabella Naomi Green, the widow, said her husband retired at 8.30. There were friends at the house. On retiring about 10.10 p.m., she found her husband and the baby missing, and notified the neighbours. She could not account for her husband’s action. Their domestic life had been happy, and they had not had any disagreements. Her husband was very fond of the baby, which was born six weeks ago. Her husband visited a doctor about the same time as she was in the nursing home. She did not know the reason for the visit. The coroner (Mr Andrew Martin) returned a verdict that Green committed suicide by drowning, while suffering' from mental depression, and that Muriel Gladys Green met her death by drowning through the action of her father. FARMER BREAKS LEG LONG WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE U'iicsa ASSOCIATION TCLEGHAU.) WELLINGTON, November 12. After being thrown from a horse, Mr E. Simson, a middle-aged farmer, of Mangaroa Valley, had to lie on the cold, wet ground in unpleasant weather for two and a half hours before being found. He was rounding up stock three miles from the homestead, and while ' riding over rough country the horse fell. Mr Simson suffered a fractured leg. He called out for assistance, but was not found until late in the evening, when a search party of six carried him to the homestead on an improvised stretcher. Later he was taken to ’ hospital. INJURY TO RIB (THE PRESS Special Service.! WESTPORT, November 12. Injuries to a rib were received by George Allott, of Denniston. this afternoon, when attempting to lift a heavy piece of rock in a Public Works Department quarry, where metal is obtained. for the Denniston Hill road. Allott was later admitted to tl*e Duller Hospital, and his condition is reported to be satisfactory. MOTOR-CYCLIST INJURED Robert Tonge, 284 Hazeldean road, received a compound fracture of the left leg when the motor-cycle he was riding was involved in a collision with a motor-car about 5 p.m. yesterday at the corner of Papanui road and Webb street. He was admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital. firnnlnr mmv will