RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXX, Issue 4060, 29 December 1919, Page 2

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

THItEE IN WAIKATO;

ONE MAN KILLED

TWO OTHERS INJURED,

AUCKLAND, December 27

The Waikato (says the Auckland Star) had its chapter of accidents during the holidays, and while all three were on the railway, the Department, it would appear, are blameless—a very creditable performance considering the heavy passenger traffic of the last few days. The most serious accident of the trio resulted in a young man, Mr Charles de Thierry,, about ,20 years of age, a y member of a well-known Rangiriri family,. being killed. The accident occurred between Te Kauwhata and Itangiriri on Wednesday, at 10.45 p.m. The train —,a special passenger from. Auckland to Palmerston —left the city at 8.40, and was travelling at between 35 and 40 miles per hour when the crash took place. The engine-driver and fireman knew that they had struck an obstacle, but thought it .was either a cow or a calf, and consequently proceeded on the journey. When they pulled up at Fi'ankton Junction station, however, they found traces of a'human being. The tablet porter at Rangiriri and a ganger went to the scene of the accident on a jigger, to find the dead body of de Thierry. It was assumed by the Department that the unfortunate man must have been.trespassing on the.line, and that as the train was 'a special he would not be keeping a lookout for it, and consequently met his fate. , An inquest into the circumstances was held "at Huntly on Friday/ when the Coroner's finding was that deceased died through ebming into contact with a moving engine* ; no blame being attachable to the engine-driver. The scene of the accident was not a level crossing^, i It is understood that the young fellow worked as a surfaceman on the railway, and that, he has a#brother in the employ of the Waikato Ship--ping Company. He was of French extraction. , . - The latest accident, particulars of winch came to hand 'this morning, took place at Frankton last evening at 10.30 As far as can be ascertain-, ed, it concerned a man named Leonard Elite. He was standing- on the platform, and just as a shunting engine was passing fell off and was dragged some distance, being severely . cut and bruised, bu^ .'lot dangerously injured. The otljer accident resulted, in a young married man named John Henry Kennedy, employed by. the.Railway Department at Mercer as a signal man, being crushed and admitted to the Auckland Hospital. It appears that Kennedy was passmg between several wagons., some of which were portions of a moving train, and was caught between them. He underwent an operation shortly after admission. A good progress report was made by the hospital authorities this.morning. ; !