SMASH AT A CROSSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19217, 5 January 1926, Page 8

SMASH AT A CROSSING.

TRASN WRECKS CREAM CART. DRIVER'S FORTUNATE ESCAPE. HORSE HURT AND DESTROYED. [BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORBBSPONDENT. ] PUKEEOHE, Monday. On passing through Paerata, two miles from Pukekobe, about 10.50 this morning, the express from Auckland to Thames crashed into a spring cart drawn by a horse and laden with empty cream cans, the accident occurring at the level crossing into the butter factory. The train was running a few minutes late. The cart, which was owned by Mr. J. Townsend, of Bombay, and driven by Mr. Hughes, had delivered a load of cream to the factory and was returning with the empty cans. The engine struck the horse just behind the foreqnarter, carrying it bodily over the cattle stop and throwing it aside about 40ft. beyond. The cart was smashed to matchwood. The driver had a miraculous escape, being found lying alongside the train when it pulled up suffering only from shock, contusions, and a bruised arm. j Medical attention was obtained, but it was not found necessary to send him to hospital A second person was on the cart, but noticed the train approaching and jumped clear. The horse had a fetlock severed and had to be destroyed. Passengers on the express estimate its speed at the time at about 20 miles an hour. They state that it pulled up promptly and with very littlo jar.