Shocking Crossing Tragedy

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7162, 22 May 1933, Page 6

Shocking Crossing Tragedy

Four Killed When Train Strikes Car

All Residents of Palmerston North

Three Others Seriously Injured

There was a shocking ending to a holiday trip to Wellington yesterday by a party of Palmerston North residents when a car containing live adults and two young children was crashed into by an excursion train at the Porirua railway crossing. Pour of the occupants lost their lives while the other three were seriously injured and are in Wellington hospital. All were residents of Palmerston North. The killed are:—

Mrs. Ida Lincoln, aged 35, wife of Prank Lincoln, of Rangitikei line.

Mrs. Frances Lena Gaskin, wife of P. W. Gaskin, 7 Bourke street.

Miss Julia Maud Enright, aged 23, whose parents reside at Pohangina, and who was working in tea-rooms in Palmerston North.

Frances Lincoln, aged ■ 4 years, daughter of Stanley Prank Lincoln.

Mr. Lincoln, the owner of the car and probably the driver at the time, his three-year-old daughter Joyce and a young man named Harry liolroyd, who resides in Lyndhurst street, were seriously injured. Mr. Lincoln is a butcher by occupation, in the employ of Mr. E. C. Gray. All were friends and had left Palmerston North by car yesterday morning about 4.30 to spend the day in Wellington. Mrs. Gaskin wanted to visit a sister and Miss Enright was taking the opportunity to see a friend who is leaving shortly for Australia. These visits had been paid and the party were on the way homo when the tragedy occurred.

They reached Porirua at 5.40 p.m. at the time when the excursion train from Wellington to Palmerston North and that from Otaki to Wellington pass each other. The train coming from Palmerston North was pulled up in the siding and it is thought that the car driver’s attention •was attracted to that train as he made the crossing, and consequently failed to notice the approach of the second train pulling into Porirua station from tho opposite direction.

The car was smashed to matchwood and twisted iron, portions being thrown on to the engine of the stationary excursion train.

Considerable difficulty was also experienced disengaging parts of the car from the engine which had struck it. Willing hands lent all help possible, but it was soon seen that four of the unfortunate occupants of the car were beyond all human aid. Tho others were taken to hospital in Wellington. The Porirua crossing has always been considered a dangerous one, a number of accidents, some fatal, having occurred there. The view is obscured by station buildings on th-e right for traffic proceeding from Wellington to Palmerston North, but is fairly open on the left, from which direction the train on this occasion was coming at a fairly fast pace.

A Press Association message from Wellington gives the name of the injured child as Frances Lincoln (aged three years) and the younger daughter of the family. She is suffering from injuries to the head and hips. Mr. Lincoln’s injuries are compound fracture of the ribs, head injury and shock. Mr. Holroyd is suffering from head and internal injuries and shock.

A telephone inquiry to the Wellington hospital this morning elicited the information that the condition of the injured was fairly serious.