ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27565, 24 January 1955, Page 8

ACCIDENTS

FALL IN FRONT OF LOCOMOTIVE

MAN’S DEATH AT STATION

A young man was killed almost instantly when he fell in front of an electric locomotive at the Christchurch railway station shortly before 1 p.m. yesterday.

The man who was killed was Thomas Kenneth Arnold, aged 29, single, a clerk, of 411 Manchester street.

Mr Arnold, who was subject to epileptic fits, lived with his widowed mother.

An eye witness said that Mr Arnold, who was standing on the platform with his back to the track, turned round, put his hands above his head, and fell cn to the track in the path of an electric locomotive, which was backing up to couple on to a train bound for Lyttelton.

The locomotive, which was travelling at about 12 miles an hour, was about 25 feet away from the train. The engine pulled up in the space of seven feet, but it had to be jacked up for the body to be removed. Hundreds of passengers on the train were instructed by loudspeaker to leave the carriages and were ushered to the opposite end of the station by railway officials. They were accommodated on the next scheduled ti’ip to Lyttelton. Police officers and members of the St. John Ambulance were on the scene within a few minutes. An inquest will be opened today. PILLION RIDER DIES OF INJURIES THROWN FROM MOTORCYCLE NEAR KAIAPOI A man died in the Christchurch Public Hospital early on Saturday morning after being involved in a motor-cycle accident on the Main South road near Kaiapoi. He was James Dennis, aged 30. married, of Baker street. New Brighton. Mr Dennis was a pillion rider on a motor-cycle ridden by Gordon Kennett, of Geraldine street. St. Albans. The motor-cycle failed to take a bend near the Day’s road junction to the Main North road, and Mr Dennis was heavily thrown. Both rider and passenger were taken to the Christ-rhur-’h Public Hospital about 4.10 a.m. Mr Dennis died of injuries an hour and a half later. Mr Kennett was treated for minor injuries and discharged.

MAN DROWNED IN RIVER

ATTEMPT TO RECOVER DRIFTING DINGHY (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 23. While attempting to recover a drifting dinghy in the Waikato river near Tuakau on Saturday, a man is believed to have been drowned. He was Tai Ngataki, aged about 50, of Tuakau. Mr Ngataki dived into the river to get the dinghy. Another man saw him disappear, and made a search, but could not find him. The body has not been recovered.

MOTOR-CYCLIST KILLED (New Zealand Press Association) WHANGAREI, January 22. A 17-year-old motor-cyclist was killed instantly at 7 p.m. yesterday when he collided with a bus. He was: Thomas Neville Short, son of Mr and Mrs T. Short, of Kaeo.

No-one in the bus was injured, and the vehicle was only slightly marked by the collision.

CYCLIST DIES OF INJURIES

(New Zealand Press Association) GISBORNE. January. 23. A cyclist who was severely injured in a collision with a car at 12.15 p®» on Friday died in the Cook Hospital. Gisborne, late yesterday afternoon. was: Edward Wallace Milne, aged 18,. • cabinetmaker, of Herbert road, Gisborne. TWO MEN INJURED, ONE SERIOUSLY (New Zealand Press Association) GISBORNE, January 23. Two men were injured, one of the® seriously when the truck in whicc they were travelling slipped off » clay road at Waerenga-o-Kuri, * miles from Gisborne, about 8.30 P-®* yesterday. They are:— h Bishop Rangi, aged 21, a scru® cutter; serious back injuries; and AJ*° Sparks, aged 17, a scrub cutten wrist injury. k After leaving the road, the true* overturned twice, and fell 20 f<Jj down a bank. ’Hie men were taken w hospital, but Sparks was dischart* after treatment.