At least the cow at Papakura hit by a train in March 1882 had a fairly quick demise. Not so the cattle belonging to Mr. William Bishop, at Mt Albert later that year. This from the Auckland Star, 14 December 1882.
A serious accident occurred yesterday afternoon to cattle belonging to Mr William Bishop, a settler at Titirangi. The cattle, consisting of two fine bullocks and a heifer, were being driven along the road towards Mount Albert pound by a settler, Wm. Pugh, or his man, with the view of impounding the cattle for trespass, when, in crossing the railway line, they were run over by the 2 p.m. train. One bullock was knocked over, and found to be badly bruised and some of its ribs broken; the other bullock and heifer had their hind legs completely cut off, and, strange to say, the driver finding they could not move, drove the remaining bullock to the pound, and left the maimed animals by the line all night to welter in their blood and suffer the most excruitiating agony. The brutality of the driver, and his utter beastliness, have caused considerable disgust in the district. Mr Bishop states his fees at about £20. A constable has gone to Mount Albert to ascertain the facts of the case, and we understand proceedings will at once be taken against the offenders.
And I hope he was given an expensive fine. How stupid. Steam trains are slow and noisy. How could he have not heard it coming?
ReplyDeleteHe simply might not have cared. Probably not drunk, as Mt Albert was a dry area, unless he had a stash somewhere. Someone else's cattle, and he just had a job to do.
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