MRS. THOMAS BELL, OF MURCBISON, KILLED.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11926, 4 May 1907, Page 3

MRS. THOMAS BELL, OF MURCBISON, KILLED.

MR. BELL AND TWO OTHERS INJURED. Wellington, May 3. A very serious accident occurred on the Broklyn section of the City tramways this evening, resulting in the death of Mrs Bell, of Murchison, and the infliction of injuries on her husband, Mr Thos. Bell, the motor man (John Rae) and tbe conductor Arthur Perkins). The Brooklyn line leaves Upper Willis street at the foot of Nairn street, and proceeds over a sharp incline to the suburban area on -the hill top, southward of the City. While descending this incline one of the big nevy palace cars left the track at t&a point near the foot of Nairn street plantation, and after travelling about fifteen yards, in the course of which the under - carriage was ripped off, toppled over an embankment, which at this point is about five feet in height. Mrs Bell was, it is supposed, from the nature of her injuries, killed outright, but it was over an honr before lifer body could be taken from under the car, which is of great weight, and it could oaly be shifted by the use of powerful jacks. Her husband was slightly injured and he was removed to a neighbouring house. Both Rae and Perkins will be taken to the Hospital, each suffering from cuts and contusions. Mr and Mrs Bell were on a holiday, and they were returning to their home from Christchurch and other places in the South. They had taken the trip in the car in order to view the City from the Brooklyn heights. For some time after the Brooklyn section was opened for traffic the City Council only had a permit to run' what are known as box cars the lightest cars on tbe City tracks— up this incline, and only twenty-four people were allowed to -ride each trip. The traffic, however, increased so inucb, that the Public Works Department, after making tests, gave a permit for heavier cars to run over the section. The palace cars, one of which came -to grief, each carry sixty passengers. How the mishap occurred is not known, but it is supposed that the car ran away from the brakeß.