ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25181, 12 May 1947, Page 8

ACCIDENTS

CHILD . KILLED AT SOCKBURN STRUCK BY WEST COAST EXPRESS When she was struck by the Christ-church-West Coast express near the Sockbum railway crossing shortly after 10 o’clock on Saturday morning. Cheryl Patricia Snelling, aged 14 months, was killed instantly. She was a daughter of Mr and Mrs G. Snelling, Green s lane. Sockburn. The child had crawled from underneath the fence of a railway housQ alongside the railway line, which is a few yards from the boundary of the property. The train was travelling fairly tast, as it had not stopped at Sockburn, when it crossed the main south road and approached the place where the child was struck, approximately 350 yards from the crossing. Members of the train crew and passengers left the train immediately it stooped to give assistance, but the child had been killed. The train was delayed for about 20 minutes. At an inquest opened later before the Coroner (Mr H. P. Lawry) evidence of identification was given by an uncle of the child. Joseph Clarence Snelling. The inquest was then adjourned sine die. ELDERLY MAN KILLED (P.A.) AUCKLAND. May 11. A retired solicitor died on Saturday night as a result of being knocked down by a motor-car on Friday evening. He was Cecil Lancelot Drew, aged 65. single, of Remuera. As far as is known, he had no relatives in New Zealand. JOCKEY INJURED When his mount Gold Nugget, fell in the Alford Hack Steeplechase at the Ashburton races on Saturday. William Thomas Kitto, aged 32. a jockey, of Timaru, received a fracture of the pelvis. He was admitted to the Ashburton Public Hospital, and last evening his condition was reported to be satisfactory. FARMER INJURED BY GELIGNITE As the result of an accident with gelignite at Ikamatua yesterday, Ronald Joseoh Fitzgerald. 24. single, farmer, of Ikamatua. had his right hand amputated and his right eye removed at the Grey Hospital yesterday afternoon. In addition. Fitzgerald suffered other injuries, and his condition last evening was reported to be serious. .