Workers’ trains collide in fog
London, August 21: A morning train, conveying 500 workmen from London to Milton Range, halted at a station two miles beyond Gravesend, where the London County Council is carrying out an extensive road construction scheme.
The train overran the platform at Milton, which is a temporary one and has no signalbox. Owing to the fog, workmen crossing the lines after leaving the train on the wrong side did not notice a light engine approaching, which killed one man and cut off another’s foot. During the confusion, a
second workmen’s train, in the absence of a signal, telescoped the three rear carriages of the stationary train, in which the workmen were sitting awaiting its return to the platform. They were buried beneath the debris, three being killed and 14 injured. Some workmen, in leaping from the train, fell into a canal adjoining the line.
Not keen on venison
At yesterday’s meeting of the Otago Farmers’ Union Executive, Mr J. Christie raised the question of the destruction done by deer, and said that about the Blue Mountains farms were being practically ruined by them. He humorously suggested that they be brought under the “rabbit act”. Another delegate mentioned a run on which a man was employed all the year to keep the deer off with a gun. Mr Christie moved that the attention of the director of agriculture be drawn to the enormous destruction done by these “useless wretches”. He
considered that the acclimatisation societies had far too much say in this country. Mr F. Waite suggested the possibility of freezing the deer, but Mr Christie retorted, “You wouldn’t eat them if you were starving.” Mr Jasper Clark seconded the motion, which was carried.
A high school for Balclutha
The chairman of the Otago Education Board (Mr J. Wallace), accompanied by the architect and secretary, paid a visit to Balclutha on Monday and conferred with the local school committee regarding the proposal to establish a high school at Balclutha.
When the high school is established the present district high school will become a primary school.
It was decided to run the high school (which will need an entirely separate staff) in the present buildings together with the primary school until new buildings could be erected for the high school. It was thought the
necessary rooms could be got by putting on a temporary addition to the present buildings. Afterwards several sites were visited, and it is understood that one of the first things the board will do in the matter will be to purchase a site.
The efforts of the new development will be to make Balclutha the educational centre of South Otago.
Womenonly carriage to remain
‘‘The Government has no present idea of taking the ladies’ car off the Auckland Main Trunk express,” was the answer given by the Minister of Railways in the House today to Mr F. N. Bartram (Grey Lynn), who had expressed some concern at the prospect of women and children deprived of a very real comfort.
The Minister said that far from withdrawing the ladies’ cars from the main line, the department was considering the advisability of putting similar cars on the New Plymouth and Napier lines. — ODT, 23.8.1922