CROSSING COLLISIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21247, 29 July 1932, Page 8

CROSSING COLLISIONS

TWO YOUTHS INJURED VAN CRASHES INTO TRAIN . EFFORT TO WARN DRIVER®!! - »£ VEHICLE COMPLETELY WRECKED ' | • ~~ Two youths were injured, one seriously;. in a level-crossing collision between a motor-van and a suburban train, near ■ the Takanini station, about three o'clock yesterday afternoon. The driver of the van, Ronald Leslie Watson, aged 18, of Papakura, received a fracture of two ribs, laceration of a leg and shock, and was admitted to a private hospital at Papakura, His companion, William Neill Kidd, aged 17, of Wood Street, Papakura. received head injuries and a fracture of a leg. He was removed by the St. John Ambulance to the Auckland Hospital, and his condition J I Jast evening was reported to be iserious. The railway. crossing is immediately north of the Takanini station. The van collided with the second carriage of tha train, and was carried forward and tossed 42 feet from the point where it hit the train, being wrecked. Watson, whose legs had become entangled in the gear lever and brake- handle, remained in the van, but Kidd was thrown heavily on to the V, cattle stop. : Mr. W. E. Clarke, electrician, of Papa- , kura, was working about 100 yard* from the scene of the accident. He heard the train whistle and saw the van travelling toward the line. He attempted to attract the driver's attention, but Wat- .• son did not notice him, and the crash occurred. Two Papakura doctors were summoned, and immediately ordered the ambulanc# , to take Kidd to Auckland. The trainssuffered little damage.. .« _ * RELIEF WORKER INJURED ' LORRY COLLIDES WITH TRAIN [by telegraph—press association] HASTINGS. Thursday A relief worker, Leslie Francis Payne, was seriously injured this morning when.a lorry carrying 30 unemployed men to relief works collidad with an early goods train at the Southampton Street level crossing. T. T. O'Sullivan was slightly injured, but all of the others escaped unhurt. The lorry had almost crossed the line when the collision took place. The Mir of the vehicle was badly shattered. Payne, who is a married man, waa taken to the Hastings Memorial Hospital. He was found to be badly injured about the head and to be suffering from concussion. FORMIDABLE RE COED EIGHT ACCIDENTS IN MONTH New Zealand's formidable irecord oi level crossing accidents has received renewed emphasis during the past month. With the two accidents yesterday, the month's total is eight, and although only one was attended by loss of life, 10 per- | sons have been Injured, some of them seriously. Last July almost the opposite position obtained, there being only one level crossing accident, and that of > very minor nature. This month's record to date is ■» follows: — July 7.—Levin, car struck bj express, three occupants escaped serious, injury, car badly damaged. July 11.—Waitara Road, car struck by train, one man had vein severed by flying glass, front of car battered. July 16.—Taupiri, car struck by train, two men injured, car destroyed. July 21.—Huntly North, child wandert in front of train, seriously injured. July 24. —Omihi, motor-lorry crashes' into cattle stop, one man killed, four others escape unhurt. July 26.—Smart Road, lorry cut in halves by train, two men jumped clear. July 28.—Hastings, lorry struck bjj train, one man injured. 29 others back of lorry shattered. / July 28.—Takanini, van and train collide, two youths injured, van wrecked.