THE DRIVER'S STORY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1923, Page 8

THE DRIVER'S STORY

PLOUGHING INTO THE SLIP.

(EX TELEGIUPH.—PRESS ASSOCIA'ION.I

TE KUITI, This Day. Interviewed on his arrival here last night, Mr. A.. Stewart, the driver of tho train, who. is regarded as one of tho best-known and most experienced drivers o.i the road, said that on reaching the rise near the scene of the accident he immediately shut off ' steam, and the tram proceeded down hill under its own weight. His first glimpse of the slip was on rounding a sharp bend, and the train was ploughing through the obstruction even before, the brakes had been applied He thinks the train would have got through safely had there not been a huge boulder, which was carried alonnfor two or three-chains, by the cowcatcher." before the engine was/derailed: When the engine came- to a stop against the bank he called to his mate, Campbell, the fireman, but received no answer ■Uie steam was escaping furiously, arid after gropm- about he got his arm unbetween the engine- and the bank He was later, dragged out with the help of tho passengers. ; . ■ y Stewart's-injuries consist of a badly and thigh™' brUiS6S °n the llead

.TAUMARUNUI, This Day. • The driver of the wrecked train \tix™™Jt M > ? fA™U*°*, was 'at tot ™™ « f ,unu'J ured. but it now appears that he. w«nt back to Te Kufti by a tram shortly after the accident and on arrival there had a relapse. He was examined there by a doctor, who found that he was suffering from an injury to the head; his left arm was scalded, and thm, 1S -WaS 1- njlU"ed- Eis condition, though serious, is not critical. The suffererwas taken to a- private house in loKuiti. The doctor was with him for two hours, and said hn was too ill to give him a version o£ the accident