RAILWAY FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13690, 5 March 1908, Page 5

RAILWAY FATALITY.

BOY KILLED AT AVONDALE.

ANOTHER SERIOUSLY INJURED. Travellers by the 5.10 train from Auckland to Henderson last evening were shocked by a sad accident which bel'el J two boys, both aged 16, Joseph Thomas and Gordon Charles Wesley Butler, resulting i" the instantaneous death of Thomas end the serious injury of Butler. Shortly after leaving Avondale the boys vera thrown off the platform of a carriage while the train was rounding a sharp curve. 11 is stated that this curve lias a reputation, for accidents, this being the third that, has occurred there. In May, 1906, a little girl was jolted off, dying tour days afterwards as the result of injuries received. Some dime previously a gumdigger fell off the , Wain at this spot. It would appear than Guard Robertson had noticed the boys on the platform, and told them to go inside. Although the guard and his assistant were on the platform, or adjacent to it, about the time when the boys fell off. neither actually - .r 4jie occurrence. The train was immciiat4ly stopped and both lads picked up *nisjl<'»id on the floor of the guard's van, the \train being backed into the Avondale station. The services of Dr. Carolan, of Avondale were requisitioned, and he attended the lads at once, the time then being . between 6.15 and 6.50 p.m. He found the boy Thomas lying dead on the floor of . the van. Examination showed that the vertex of the skull had been badly fractured. The other boy was suffering from m injury to the head, and evidently re- / covering from the effects of concussion of * the brain. He had wounds on the fore- ':-; head the nasal bones being broken, and he was bleeding profusely from the nose. ':■'. Br. Carolan dressed his wounds, and, accompanied by Mr. Moon, stutionmaster of Avondale brought the sufferer and the body of deceased to Mount Eden station by motor train. On arrival at Mount Eden Sergeant Carroll took charge of the body of Thomas and the ambulance in waiting conveyed Butler to the hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. Butler had regained consciousness, and was able to converse sensibly, but had no recollection of the accident .' Inquiries at the railway traffic manager's office elicited the fact that both boys were ! employed by >the Railway Department, . Thomas as a cadet in the booking office and Butler as a cadet on the dining-car, running between Auckland and Frankton Junction. They were not on duty at the "/time, evidently travelling out for pleasure, /■Tie" guard reports that he asked them to go into the carriage, and they either did not do as he wished or came out again quickly. The train left Avondale for NewLynn at six p.m. Between the two places, V'. as has been stated, there is a sharp curve, and it is surmised by the railway officials that the boys had not a. proper hold and "were jolted off. - • Thomas' parents live in Leigh ton-street, Grey Lynn, and they were communicated with as soon as possible after the acci- - "dent, and the body was removed to their home. Butler's parents reside in Kingsland, close to the railway station.