TRAGIC SMASH
ENGINE HITS CAR
MAN AND WIFE KILLED.
AT CROSSING AT FAIRTON.
VEHICLE SHATTERED BY IMPACT.
LOCOMOTIVE APPARENTLY NOT SEEN.
When a railway locomotive struck a motor-car on the crossing south of the Fairfield freezing works about 4 o’clock yesterday aiternoon both occupants of the car, Mr Martin John Esker, and his wife, Mrs Bessie Esker, were killed instantly, and their bodies were thrown considerable distances by the impact.
Mr and Mrs Esker, who were both aged about 50 years, had a farm at Dromore, where they had lived for a number of years.
The engine, travelling south to link up with the north-bound express train, struck the car about the middle of the body, and the vehicle, an open type, was smashed to pieces, the main portion being deposited on the side of the line 37 yards from the crossing.
Mr Esker, who was driving, was thrown a distance of 49 yards, and Mrs Esker, who had been sitting beside her husband, was thrown 53 yards from the crossing. She was on the side struck by the engine.
From the fact that the car wheels skidded only 13 yards from the line, it is surmised that Mr Esker did not see the engine till he was close to the crossing, though the locality allows of a fairly clear view of the line.
Mr and Mrs Esker had three sons — Frank, aged 18, who lives in Christchurch, and Bruce (17), and Neil (15), who lived at Dromore.
An inquest was opened at the Hospital this afternoon by the District Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst) who heard evidence of identification and adjourned the inquiry. -Ashbutron Guardian, 1/3/1939.
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS.
DEATHS.
ESKER. — On February 28, 1939, at Ashburton, Martin John and Elizabeth, dearly loved Father and Mother of Frank, Bruce, and Neill Esker, of Dromore. Result of accident. -Ashburton Guardian, 1/3/1939.
FUNERAL NOTICES.
THE Funeral of the late Martin John and Elizabeth Esker will leave St. Stephen’s Church, Ashburton, TO-MORROW (Thursday), March 2, at 3 p.m., for the Ashburton Cemetery.
GEORGE HOSKEN. -Ashburton Guardian, 1/3/1939.
INQUEST ADJOURNED
CROSSING ACCIDENT AT FAIRTON
The inquest on Martin John Esker, aged 50 years, farmer of Dromore, and his wife, Bessie Esker, aged 44 years, who were killed when an engine collided with their car on the level crossing south of Fairton on Tuesday afternoon, was opened at Ashburton yesterday before the Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst).
Evidence of identification was given by Leslie Robert Clarke, company manager, Ashburton, who said he had transacted business with Esker shortly before the accident. As far as he knew both had good sight and good hearing. The inquest was adjourned. -Press, 2/3/1939.
CROSSING SMASH
FAIRTON -DOUBLE FATALITY.
EVIDENCE GIVEN AT INQUEST.
ENGINE CREW’S STATEMENTS.
The circumstances of the deaths ol Mr Martin John Esker and his wife, Mrs Elizabeth Esker, in a collision with a locomotive at the Fairton railway crossing on the afternoon of February 28, were inquired into by the District Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst) this morning, when he returned a verdict that Mr and Mrs Esker met their deaths from injuries to their heads following a collision with a railway locomotive.
Mr G. C. Nicoll appeared for the Public Trustee, administrator in the estates of both deceased, and Mr A. W. Brown (Crown Prosecutor at Christchurch) appeared for the Railway Department. The proceedings were conducted for the police by Sergeant C. Murphy.
Dr. J. Connor stated that Martin John Esker had head injuries with evidence of a fracture of the base of the skull. Mrs Esker had severe head injuries, the cranium being opened. She had a fractured left thigh and two fractures of the right leg.
Frederick Kear, driver of the engine, said he sounded the whistle 300 yards from the crossing and, as usual, gave an extra blast when close to it. When the engine reached the crossing a car appeared immediately in front of it. He saw the car first just as he felt the impact. He could not estimate the speed of the car as he did not see it till the engine struck it. There was bright sunshine at the time of the accident. It shone in his eyes, making visibility bad for him at the time. He did not see which of the deceased was driving the car, or if the side curtains of the car were up or down.
To Mr Nicoll: The gorse fence on the west of the crossing was not very high; he could see over it easily and should have been able to see traffic approaching along the road. He looked along the road to the right as he approached, when he was very near the crossing, but he did not see any vehicle. All he could say was that the car was not in his line of vision.
To Mr Brown: The engine was an express engine and could be seen over the gorse hedge from the road. At the speed it was travelling, it would be sending out a fair amount of smoke and making a fair amount of noise as it approached the crossing. He was positive that he sounded the whistle (a siren) 100 yards from the crossing, this being the second blast he gave. The first whistle was sounded just after he had passed the Fairton station. The maximum regulation speed at that point was 50 miles an hour.
James Rolland Walshe, fireman of the engine, said the speed of the locomotive was about 45 miles an hour. The driver sounded one long blast on the whistle when the engine was about 300 yards from the crossing and a short blast later. He felt the engine strike some object and the emergency brake was applied. The engine stopped 75 yards south of the crossing. They went back and found that two persons had been killed and were lying on the west side of the line.
Leslie William Robinson, of Chertsey, said he was driving on the Main South Road and noticed the engine travelling toward Ashburton at about 40 miles an hour. He then noticed a car going toward the line. As he was opposite the crossing he saw the locomotive hit the car, pieces of which were thrown in the air. He did not hear the engine whistling, and he did not seie any smoke or steam coming from it. The crossing was quite open.
To Mr Nicoll: He did examine the wreck of the ear closely to see if the side curtains had been up but he had frequently passed the car on the road near Ashburton and the curtains had always been up. He was driving with the glare-visor down, to counteract the sunlight.
To Mr Brown: He was travelling at the same pace as the engine, in the same direction, and he was able to see the engine plainly a quarter of a mile away.
Constable T Kennedy said that skid marks on the shingle on the west side of the line showed for a distance of 13 feet. Mr Esker’s body had been carried 49 yards from the point of impact and Mrs Esker’s body was 53 yards away. The view of deceased of the approaching engine would be somewhat obscured by a gorse hedge about 5 feet high, 40 yards from the line and after that there was no obstruction of the view. -Ashburton Guardian, 29/3/1939.
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