RUNAWAY TRAM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 21 August 1926, Page 5

RUNAWAY TRAM.

SENSATIONAL SMASH AT AUCKLAND. (BY TELEGRAPH —PIIES3 ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, Aug. 20. The, falling off of a mo to rm an and the subsequent loss of control of a tramcar, travelling down Symonds Street, resulted in a sensational accident shortly before five o’clock to-night. With a crash of splintering glass, the .runaway tram jumped the points at the intersection of Wellesley Street and Symonds Street, hurled itself diagonally across the road, carrying away a, tree at the edge of the pavtem.?,nt, and then with a grinding .sound finished its mad career in a total wreck, smashing through the garden, fence of a house two doors from till© corner. Luckily the injured list was a light one, end for this the fact that the car was practically empty, and that the traffic at the time was exceptionally light, must be held mainly responsible. Motorman J. Philpott had fainted pud fallen, off. He was picked up some distance up the road by a, motorist and conveyed to the hospital, where it was found that he had sustained a fracture of the base of the skull. His condition was reported to be'somewhat serious.

The force of the impact hurled, the conductor (Mr C. Boyce), who was standing on the back of the platform, through the car. He received -a out ovdr the eve and minor injuries to the hands and legs. The, only passengers were a boy and a man.

The hoy received a slight cut and the man escaped uninjured, both vanishing from the scene before the inquisitive crowd collected. The car is one of fairly old type. Tt is nob fitted with the modern safety apparatus that brings the car to a standstill whenever the motorman’st hand is removed from the controls.