FATAL ACCIDENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2266, 29 October 1889, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

TliE lIsQCNEST

On returning, the following far.her evidence was taken : — John BeoktK, being eworn, deponed : Am tn engine-driver m the employ of :hu Government. Wan driving the Soiuh '. I exptess on tho 26th lnst. After letVing S Aahbuctou on neailng Wiudermere saw 'something lyiDg batween the rails beiow the level of the sleepers: Took It to be tome clothing, or a platelayer's vest or somothlng of that sort. Did not boo it move till within two engine le.igttn Then saw th tlt was a boy, as he r.il ci . his head abovo thj level of the sleepers, ' Immediately shut off steam, and appiiud : tho steam brake oi. the engine and whiß'lud for the guard's brake My fireman app'led tha tender-brake, but it was too lat.', Wo nsed every effort to pull up tha train as quickly as poaslbla. Dd not oee the boy struck. The sleepers are not covered with ballast at the Bpot m qneitlon, the line belog wh^ Is termed " open " there, h w»s therefore Impossible to see what the objeot w»a till the boy raised his head. To the Ooroner : ' Had the boy kept lying flu he probably would not h»ve reoeved » aora'oh To tha Police : It is not unuirjal to see objects suoh as sheep on the line, whlob 'a unfenoed. Tbere ate no homes nor Inhabitants ne»r where thj aoolden 1 . occurred. Before tha train reaob,9d tha spot saw two vehicles, one a waggon, which had passed whare the boy was lying, and a bopgy whioh was abjut : opposite the place at tho tlm3« It waa a ole»r sunshiny day, The ro*d is about • ohtlo away from the railway line. Ii they (tbe persons m tae buggy and waggon) had seen tha boy it might have been possible for them to make a signal Tbe en giu e was running fall speed. Stopped he train and the body was taken i on to the Hinds. It whs a Rtnali body. Farther examined : By the Hoe being 1 open I mean that there was no ballast ; between the tleepen. Tbe depth would 1 be ftbont 9 inches. Believe a grow o parton oould lie io tbe «p»oa, To the F >rem«n : The dUtanoe In whioh 1 a train oan . be palled up depends upon ' the load und the state of the rails. v7o ! ran about two train lengths after I put on t the brakes. Rlobard Mekln, sworn, deposed : Am a fireman In the employ of the Govern- > ment and was tha fireman .of tho South ( express on the 26 h lnst. When netting 9 Windermere and ahont four engine lengttia , off the object, s»w what appeared to be (, an old vest or a piece of rag lying between the rails. When within about two engine ] lengths saw the head and part of the I shoulders of a boy. The driver sounded ) to the gaud for ; ho brakes to be put on, , and pat -on tho engine brake. Wltnesa t put on the tender brake, Tbe line Is • open-ballisted at the plaoa— the sleepers* 1 are only paoked, A person lying between 3 the aleepen would be hidden from viaw till you got olose to him, especially a small t body. i This olosed the evidence, and after a r few words from tbe Acting Ooroner The Foreman sold that every oare 1 appeared to have been taken to pull; np 8 tbe train as soon as possible, bat ariha Una was unfenoed tt the locality It might j be pointed out that It was desirable m the intareeti of the publio safety that the line c should be fenoad. T A verdiot of aooldenttl death wai agreed 1, to, the railway officials being exempad y leom any bltme m oonneoii'>n with the v oaoumnoe.