MAIN TRUNK SMASH.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 139, 29 May 1914, Page 6

MAIN TRUNK SMASH.

WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. PASSENGERS WHO AVORKED. [per press association.] Vangai.ui, Alay 29. Among the passengers by ilu Alain Trunk express which met disaster un Wednesday morning was Air. bred Cunningham, Wiseman and Son’s Wanganui representalive. Seen by a “ Herald “ representative to-day. Air. Cunningham said the passengers’ stories told to Auckland pressmen had not in all eases given credit to the right persons, though this was not to lie wondered at considering the darkness and confusion. The man deserving of credit in preventing an explosion of gas was Mr. Jas. iSorrie, a farmer, of Waimate, South Canterbury, for while the others smashed windows to let the gas out, this was done at Mr. Borrie’s instance, and but for him possibly no one else would have thought of it. Afost of the passengers, unable to see in the and the room for working being limited, returned to their seats to await daylight, but a few who were able to do good stuck like trojans to the work of rescue. The only one of them he knew wus Arthur R. Johnson, a Rutland Hotel employee, oi Wanganui, who, covered with grime and blooif worked heroically in getting the injured out. , Jn addition to the Maori nurse already mentioned, there was also a white ntirsff whose name be did not know, ifnil both these women were untiring in their attention to the injured. Regarding tjic delay in sending an engine of the goods train for help, Mt. Ciuiiiinghain said it was tine to the fact that the tablet which had been picked up by the express engine could not be found, ami without it the train officials could not go on. It was finally found about 8 o’clock, and then the engine ivas despatched.