TRAMCAR DERAILED

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 237, 25 June 1918, Page 6

TRAMCAR DERAILED

HITS FOOTPATH IN LAMBTON QUAY

AN UNUSUAL ACCIDENT

A train way accident of all unusual nature look place in Lnmbton Quay last evening, and created 110 small seusation. A double-docker ear bound for Newtown was passing along Lambton Quay at G. 40 p.m., and at the j unction of Featlierston Street it left tile rails. The car was travelling at fairly high speed at the time, and almost at once it turned to the right and dashed towards the footpath. The motorman, 'P. Shaw, put on his. brakes and stuck lo his post. But he could not stop the car, which struck the curb within twenty-five yards of the spot where the wheels left the rails. A very loud crash and the sounding of falling glass brought people hurrying from all directions. The car had (jtruck the curb heavily, skidded along for a fewyards, smashed two iron verandah posts, and brought up against a third post. Fragments of the broken ' posts had broken the window of the shop occupied by j\l,v. \V. H. Coote, optician, and the top of the ear had ripped out a length of glazed framing from the upper part of the verandah. Fortunately the car contained few passengers at the time of the accident. The motorman, who occupied'the post of danger, escaped injury altogether. Tho passengers were tlirhwii from their seats, and two of them, lira. H. A. Anderson and Mrs. O'Leary, of Tinakori Eoad, had to be carried into the Central Hotel. Dr. M'fivedy was quickly in attendance, and he found that Sirs. O'Leary, who is an elderly lady, had a broken leg. She was removed in the ambulance to the hospital. • Mrs. Anderson was severely shaken, but wjs able to go to her home. The car suffered less damage than might have been expected. The front was dented and portions of tho under-' gear were broken] where they had struck the concrete curb. Traffic liad to be diverted along Customhouse Quay for some time, but within 11,11 hour the tramway officials got the errant car "back to tli'o rails and removed it to the sheds. AVliy the car had left the rails was not apparent. The -wheels did not seem to have struck any obstruction, and tho laiis were in good order.