MAIN TRUNK COLLISION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 30 May 1914, Page 5

MAIN TRUNK COLLISION

PREVENTING A FIRE.

PRAISE FOR. A SOUTHERN , FARMER.

DELAY INT SENDING FOR HELP EXPLAINED. "■(United Pbess Association.) WANGANUI, This Day. Among the passengers by the Main Trunk express which met with disaster on Wednesday morning was Mr. Fred. Cunningham, Wiseman and Son s (Wanganui) representative. Seen by a ''Herald" representative. he said the passengers' stories told u> Auckland! pressmen had not. in all cases given credit to the right- persons, though this was not to be wondered at, considering th© darkness and confusion. The man deserving of cred.it for preventing an ■explosion of gas was Mr .Jas. Borrie. farmer, of Waimate, South Canterbury ; for while others smashed the ■windows to let the gas out, this was done at Mr Borrie's instance, and but for him possibly tio one else would have thought of it. Most of the passengers were unsvble to see in the darkness, and the loom for -working being limited, returned! to their seats to wait daylight ; but a few who were a:ble to do good' stuck like Trojans to 'their work of rescue. The only one of them Mr Cunningham- knew was Mr Arthur R. Johnson, a Rutland Hotel (Wanganui) erhployee, who. ■covered with grime and blood, worked Jieroically getting the injured' out. In addition to a CNlaori nurse already mentioned, there was also a white nurse, whose name he did not know, and both of these women- were untiring in their attention to the injured. Regarding the delay in sending on the engine of the goods train for help, Mr Cunningham said it was due to the fact- -that th» tablet, which had been' picked up by the express engine, could not be found, and without, it the train officials could* not so on. It was finally found 1 about eight o'clock, and then the engine was despatched.