Gore FATALITY AT WAIPAHI

Southland Times, Issue 22921, 20 June 1936, Page 14

Gore FATALITY AT WAIPAHI

Inquest Opened The inquest on the death of Jessie Shaw, aged 45, wife of John Slater Shaw, farmer of Balfour, who was killed in the railway crossing accident at Waipahi on Thursday, was opened at Gore before Mr A. Martin, J.P. (District Coroner) yesterday, when the evidence of the husband of the deceased was heard. Sergeant H. Fryer conducted the proceedings. John Slater Shaw, gave evidence of identification. He and Mrs Shaw left Balfour on Thursday morning about 8 o’clock, he said, and picked up Mrs Butler and her son and daughter at Ardlussa. He and his wife were in the front seat and the others in the back. They stopped at Gore for about two hours, and left at 11.45 a.m. for Dunedin, reaching Waipahi shortly after noon. All the windows of the car were closed. There was a great deal of snow on the windshield, and it was necessary more than once to stop the car and clean it. The windscreen wiper was working. He did not hear any engine whistle. “We came to the crossing before I knew there was a crossing,” continued witness, who explained that he did not know Waipahi very well. Just as they reached the crossing, the train struck the car. It seemed to him that Mrs Shaw slowed the car down a little before reaching the crossing. He did not see the train, which carried the car about two chains before it was thrown from the engine. He could not say how far the train travelled afterwards. Following the collision the driver and fireman came to the car and rendered as much assistance as possible. The car was quite clear of the line when he got out of it. He made inquiries about Mrs Shaw, but no one could tell him anything. One of the bystanders said shet was not far away. He was on the side of the car next to the impact. The door on Mrs Shaw’s side was forced open by the impact. A wheel was also knocked off. He was concerned about his wife and asked for her. After the accident they were all taken to Mr Suttie’s boarding house. Dr. Watters arrived shortly afterwards and said Mrs Shaw was dead. Witness said that he considered the snow had a great deal to do with the accident, visibility being bad. Mrs Shaw had a driver’s licence and was a splendid motorist, having driven a great deal in the North Island as well as in the South Island. She was the sole owner of the car. They been married about a year. The inquest was adiourned sine die.