BUS RUNS INTO TRAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20536, 10 April 1930, Page 10

BUS RUNS INTO TRAIN.

LEVEL CROSSING ACCIDENT*

TWO PASSENGERS INJURED.

ACCIDENT NEAR CHRISTCHURCH.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. Two passengers were injured and others suffered shock this afternoon when a Christchurch-Timaru motor-bus collided with a Little River goods train at the Hornby level crossing. Tho bus was not badly damaged. Those whose injuries necessitated re. moval to hospital were Archdeacon H Purchas, of Geraldirie, and Mrs. P. If. Johnson, of Pleasant Point. Archdeacon Purchas was treated in the Christchurch Hospital, where ho was found to be suffering from bead injuries and shock. His condition to-night was satisfactory. Mrs. Johnson, who was admitted to St. George's Hospital, escaped with severe bruises and shock.

The motor-bus left Christchurch at 2.30 p.m. on its run south. Proceeding be' tween Middleton and Hornby it had to cross tho railway at a southerly angle a. short distance before the Hornby station.; A goods train on its way to Little River, proceeding at a slow speed, approached the crossing at; the same time, and the bus drove into the i;ngine. The train pulled up almost instantaneously. The bus was slewed entirely round, and came to a standstill pointing in the direction from which it had come. It did not, however, turn over, and the chief damage it susitained was a badlybattered bonnet and wing, and a smashed windscreen, while the petrol tank wat broken open. The cause of the accident is not ascertainable, as the Hornby crossing is regarded as quite safe, the visibility oa both sides being clear and unobstructed. The driver of the bus, Mr. G. MacMillan, of Timaru, had a lucky escape from injury, and the other who suffered severely from shock, were Mrs. Ward, of Rakaia, Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard, of Christchurch, and Mr. Cyril Ohlson, of AddingtoD."

Hornby 13 six miles south of Christchurch. This is the third level crossing accident -which has occurred since Saturday, the others being the tragedy at Hikurangi, when six young people were killed, and s collision at Waimauku, when a motor-lorry driver escaped with slight injuries.