WOMAN KILLED IN CROSSING SMASH

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6849, 2 March 1929, Page 10

WOMAN KILLED IN CROSSING SMASH

FARMER’S ERRAND OF MERCY. ACQUITTED OF CHARGE OF NEGLIGENT DRIVING. Per Press Association. HAMILTON, Last Night. What Mr. Justice Blair described as an errand of mercy was being performed by Andrew Ernest Randrup, farmer, of Hinuera, when his car crashed into a train at Matamata crossing one Sunday last August, causing the death of Mrs. Tul Rawhiri.

Her baby was sick and Randrup drove the mother and child to Matamata to consult a doctor. Ho was returning home with them when the accident occurred. Randrup and tho child were injured. Randrup was charged to-day in the Supreme Court with negligent driving, thereby causing tho woman’s death. The evidence showed the train was a special, goiDg to Rotorua. Unlike almost all other trains, it did not stop at Matamata station before- crossing where the accident happened. When the case came up last session, tho grand jury disagreed. To-day Randrup, in giving evidence on his own behalf, said that as ho approached the crossing, he looked twice towards the station, saw no train and assumed there was no danger from that side. Owing to his having a particularly sick child aboard the car and the road being rough, he was travelling verv carefully.

After a retirement of two hours, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.