FATAL COLLISION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16986, 9 March 1923, Page 7

FATAL COLLISION.

MOTOR-CAR STRUCK BY TRAIN. MAN KILLED AT HORNBY. The gradually increasing list of railway crossing accidents was added to last evening when in broad daylight a motor-car driven by Mr Eugene M’Dermott, who was accompanied by Mr Robert M’Alilian, both men being residents ol Halswcll, collided with terrific impact with the incoming Midland train at the Hornby crossing. MR M’MILL AN KILLED. The accident resulted in the instantaneous death of Mr M’Millan, who was thrown out on to his head, his neck being broken. Mr M’Dermott was also thrown some distance but he fortunately escaped the fate which met his companion. lie was picked up, evidently in great pain, and being placed in the guard’s van together with Air M’Millan, wabrought ns far as the Addington station. Here the train was met. by the ambulance, and both men were taker: to the Hospital. On arrival it wa* discovered, in the case of Mr M’Millan that' life was extinct. Air Al’Dermotl was found to have a broken arm and several scalp wounds, besides being badly bruised and suffering severely fvom shock.

THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, i The accident occurred where the j railway lino crosses the roid leading j from Hornbv towards tire Yaldhurst i Road. At the corner where these roads j meet lies the property of the Canter- • bury .Jockey Club. The fact that there j is a clear view for some distance down ! the line, on either side of the crossing j makes 11 ic occurrence of the accident j | al! the more difficult to understand. ! THE CAR BADLY DAMAGED. \ 1 The accident occurred at 6.18 p.m. | in daylight . The driver of the railway ' j engine was Air B. Stanton, of 90, 011ivier’s Road. Lin wood, and the guard was Mr ii. Brosnahan. Mr John Gra- 1 ham, local road foreman, was in the engine along with the driver and fireman. According to railway officials, ! the whistle was blow n before the ! engine came to the crossing, and al! other precautions were observed. The I engine collided with the car, fairly in j the "bent it nearly in two, ; l uckling .ill the wheels, and knocked ii | over on one s*de a few yards from the A TERRI FTC IMPACT. I “ \Yc wore slowing down to about . twenty miles an hour so as to stop at j Hornby.” said a railway official. “I • cannot understand why the motor-car ; came on. The occupants must have j seen the danger. The impact was terj rific, though the train was travelling comparatively slowly, and one of the j buffers in front of the big A B engine was twisted. The motor-ear. which was coming from the south, was not I carried any distance It was simple dumped across the line not far from the notice which says J ‘ Stop. Look out for the Engine,’ and j twisted round on to one side. The j train pulled up in its own length, and we climbed down to help - the men. I Both had been burled from the car.

I M’Dermott was in pain and his head j was bleeding. M’Ah'llan seemed to be 1 dead. They were taken into the guard’s van and we brought them to Adding- | toD. where the ambulance met us. The ; train then went on to Christchurch and j arrived twenty-three minutes late.” I TRAIN RUNNING LATE. ! The motor-ear was a Buick three- ; sea ter, numbered 353 A, and it had been in Mr M’Dermott’s possession for about two years lie is reported to Ibe a very careful driver. Picking up ; Mr M'Alillan at Halswell after tea, i they were making their way to Mr Ben Garden's farm at Yaldhurst for the purpose of inspecting some horses. • There is no keeper at the crossing, but men who use it a good ileal regard the place as safe under ordinary circumstances. The train was ;i few minutes late coming to Hornby, and it is thought possible that the occupants of

the car believed it had passed. Either that or something else on the road distracted their attention. AIR M’DERMOTT IMPROVING. Enquiries at the Hospital this morning showed that Mr ALDermott was showing a slight improvement. THE LATE ROBERT M’MILLAN The late Air Robert M’Millnn was one of the most, popular residents of the Halswell district. Ho was for some time a member of the Halswell School Committee, and a vice-presi-dent, of the Halswell Lawn Tennis Club. At all times he was most liberal in his donations towards any function which was got up for the benefit of the district. Of Scotch descent Mr M’Millan spent his younger days in the United States where under the tuition of one of America’s most successful trainers, be soon acquired a thorough knowledge of the trotting horse. He settled in New Zealand over 20 years ago and he soon demonstrated his ability as a trainer and driver.

i and for a number of years he had an exceptional run of successes ; AYhile still actively engaged in fcraini iug he turned his attention to breeding. and gradually the latter became almost his sole business. Jt was ax ! a stud master that he was best known ,in later years. From the time that no i first entered into the breeding industry lie realised the possibilities that existed in the Dominion of establishing a sucj eessful business by the importation of 1 American horses. He made several trips to America with this object ia view, and amongst tho horses lie i brought to New Zealand were the stali lions Harold Dilion, Wallace L., AlauriI tihs. Petereta. Groat Audubon, Bre it j Locauda. Nelson Bingen and Elkton • Hall, whilst liis importations of brood mares included Miss Youngley, Grat- | tanette, Helen Jane Stokes. Muriel ! Maddison, Solon Gazelle. Bertha Beil ; and Aliss Spear. The importation • f | these horses has had a wonderful influ- ! once on the breed of trotting stock in the Dominion. Amongst the many good horses lie has driven to victory were -Prince Alert and John AL. two high class performers in their day. Air Al’Millan was a great personal friend oi' Air F. !•;. Le I dev re of Akaroa, and it was for this gentleman that Air Al’AJillan made several purchases of trotting horses whilst on bis trips to the United States. Air M’Alillan leaves a family of three young children. MR F. C. M’DERAIOTT. Air Eugene C. M’Dermott, the owner and driver of the motor-car is also a j well-known resident of the Halswell district. Throughout New Zealand he is recognised as being one of its most capable horsemen, both as a driver and as a rider. Besides handling horses ol his own and of his brother, Mr J. M’Dermott, his services are in great demand at all trotting meetings whirl he attends. A saddle event at Ad dington without the presence of E .M’Dermott would be something von extraordinary. For some years Mi M’Dermott has been a dealer in cattle and he has proved himself just a: sound a judge of this class of stock a: he is recognised to be of a trotting horse. THE INQUEST. The. inquest will 1 »*• opened at tin Christchurch Hospital to-morrov morning.