TEN INJURED

Southland Times, Issue 21092, 26 May 1930, Page 7

TEN INJURED

PUBLIC WORKS GANG RAILWAY WAGON LEAVES RAILS CRASHES INTO CREEK t CPer United Press Association). Blenheim, May 25. The advantage of the aeroplane in a case of sudden emergency was well illustrated on Saturday afternon when ten men were injured on the South Main Trunk railway works at Tirohanga, 45 miles from Blenheim. On receipt of a summons by telephone, Dr J. F. Bennett arranged for the services of one of the Marlborough Aero Club’s Moths and by this means was on the scene of the accident and attending to the injured within an hour of the occurrence and less than half an hour after leaving Blenheim. The injured men are:

Robert J. Wallace, aged about 45, married with four or five children, crushed chest and fractured skull. His condition is reported to be grave. Wallace was employed on Murray’s Woodside station until about two months ago when he secured work with the Public Works Department. Thomas King, aged about 65, believed to be single with relatives in Shannon, lacerated back and strain, condition serious. J. Mills, married with no children, torn sinews of the left leg and other injuries. Mason, single, ruptured muscles of the back, lacerated wound in left hand. Roy Gifford, married, broken jaw and nose and other lesser injuries. A. Duncan, severe crushing of left foot. A. Petersen, broken nose, and wound in head. R. Neilson, scalp wound and strained back. C. Ross, minor injuries. Maurice Hickey, injured face. The ten men were part of the gang which had been engaged in plate laying between Tirohanga and Tainui when the knock-off whistle blew at mid-day on Saturday. They entered the railway truck on which a hut had been erected and which was always used for conveying the men from their camps to the scene of' their labours. A small engine was hitched on and set off in the direction of Wharanui where the men’s camps were located.

All went well until Tirohanga was reached, but here the truck hut left the rails just as a bridge was reached. It turned completely upside down and with the ten men trapped inside it crashed into the creek bed fourteen feet or so below.

The hut which was flimsily built of corrugated iron, collapsed when it struck the ground and the horrified engine-driver and fireman, what at once pulled up when the truck parted company with the engine, hurried back to the scene. They thought all were dead as there was no sound from the wreckage and it seemed impossible that anyone could live under the weight of the inverted truck. Moans and cries soon rent the air and with the assistance of another gang who were returning to Wharanui by road, the victims were extricated from the wreckage with considerable difficulty. Meantime, a messenger was sent to Tirohanga homestead which was close handy and Mr A. Rittson Thomas, after telephoning to Blenheim for the doctor, returned with Miss Aidworth, of Wellington; to the scene where they rendered yeoman service tending the injured and earned the admiration of all the men.

The least injured were despatched to Wharanui F" motor truck and others remained on the scene until the arrival of Dr Bennett.

Captain Chandler, who flew the aeroplane, landed on an excellent ground at Tirohanga which has recently been adopted as one of the Aero Club’s stations for short cross country flights. Here, a car was waiting to eonvev the doctor to the scene of the accident about a mile distant.

Wallace and King were conveyed to the Marlborough hospital in the ambulance and their condition was reported as satisfactory late this afternoon. The others are still at Wharanui, but will probably be sent to Blenheim on Monday.