ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 13 August 1928, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A FORTUNATE ESCAPE

(By Telegraph-;-i/rea** Association.) INVERCARGILL, Aug. 12. A miraculous escape'.from serious injury was the fortune of George Clent-, a railway porter, aged 18 years, on Saturday -afternoon. He was about to pass between some stationary waggons when another rake of waggons, /shunted into the stationary rake, knocked Clent down between the rails. The waggons passed over him'. None of hi® limbs lay across the rails as he fell, and thus he wa.s not seriously injured. He was badly bruised, however, and was removed to hospital.

LEVEL CROSSING SMASH. HAMILTON, Aug. 12 A collision between a special train to Arnpuni and a car driven by A. Rnndrup, a farmer of Hinuera, occurred at Mat-am-a-ta at midday today. There were also two Maori women and a- child in the vehicle. Mrs. Rum and her child were killed outright. The other passenger received a fractured hip. Mr. Randrup sustained a severe scalp wound. The car was completely smashed.

TRAIN COLLIDES WITH MOTOR CAR. PALMERSTON N., .Aug. 12.. At Shannon on Saturday afternoon the Wellington-Auck-land express crashed into a- five-seater car driven by J, Spooner, of Palmerston Northf and containing Mrs. Baker, of Shannon, as a passenger. The car was smashed to atoms and both occupants were seriously injured. Their condition is critical. The accident occurred at the crossing to a side road just north of Shannon. The view was' unobstructed, and consequently it is difficult- to understand how the driver did not see the approaching train.

ACCIDENT TO LINE UMPIRE. INVERCARGILL, Aug. 12. An unusual type of accident- occurred during the Rugbv final on Saturday afternoon. Thomas Finnerty, a married resident of Bluff, aged 32 years', who was a line umpire, was running along the line ,to signal touch when opposing wing three-quarters, diving for tlre_ ball near the line, collided at the 25 flag, knocking the flag and: Finnerty over. Tire crack could be heard all over the ground, and it was thought that the flag had been -smashed. Finnerty suffered most in the collision, however. He received a fracture of each l>one in the lower left leg, and was removed to hospital.

MOTOR- CYCLIST BADLY HURT

INVERCARGILL. Aug. 12

AVhilei riding his motor-cycle a.’on.g Bluff Hoad on Saturday afternoon. Colin Nicholson, aged 21, a. resident of Bluff. col’idert with a ear, 'being towed to Lnvoi'ca.rgill for repairs, H? wa..-. badly out 'about the f-a.ce and one of hire thighc was broken.

Nicholson passed the towing car, but did not anticipate a second car and ■swung inwards, colliding violently with the ear. The impact threw him through the wind-screen, Nicholson receiving a badly cut face and head, lie was removed in hospital, where it was ascertained hr? hud received a fracture of the left thigh. His condition As very ''oriouK.