ROTORUA RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 194, 15 August 1907, Page 3

ROTORUA RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

RESULT -OF THE INQUEST.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) • • EOTOE.UA. this day. The inquest held upon the body of Guard Lowe, who was killed in the recent railway accident, was concluded last night.

J. L. Taylor, engine driver, in answer to questions put by Inspector Kieley, said that when he required the assistance of the guard for the brakes he gave three short signals. When they saw that the train was running away three signals were given. Witness was quite sure no one interfered with the couplings of the Westinghouse brakes while they were there until they were uncoupled. He uncoupled them himself and shut both taps, one on the engine and one on the van. He was quite certain of that. After uncoupling he pinned down the three hand brakes, and saw Cooper get into his cab. The cause of the train running away was a mystery to him If tne brakes were in good order and applied as they were the train running away was unaccounti able.

Mr. Eobertson, Westinghouse brake inspector, said he was quite positive the brakes were in good working order when the train left Putaruru. Nothing would be likely to go wrong with, the brakes between Putaruru and the top of the hill. It was not possible. Had the brakes been properly applied before the engines were removed, they would have held the train, as they were carrying a higher pressure than usual, 801b. In all his experience in connection with this brake and trains he had not known a train to break away. Had the brake been properly applied, and the train commenced to skid, it would have cut the wheels to pieces. The friction would have made large grooves in the wheals. He had formed a theory as to bow the accident occurred. It was this: The cocks were closed before the brakes ware applied at the top of the hill, where the stoppage took place. The cocks being closed, the train-pipe line would have been charged ready to apply the brakes had the guard opened tb.e cock in the brake van.

The Coroner reviewed the evidence, and pointed out that the statements of various witnesses were at variance.

The jury retired at 4.45, and returnzd at 6.24, and asked that the engine-driver be further examined.

J. L. Taylor stated that he had power to uncouple the engine in the event of anything going wrong without consulting the guard. He took the necessary steps for the preservation of the engine. Another rule was that an enginedriver had power to stop the train. He considered, from the rule referred to, he would he quite justified in uncoupling without consulting the guard. The jury retired again at 6.29, and returned at 6.31 with the following verdict:—"That Guard Lowe came by his death as the result of injuries received through, an accident to the Rotorua goods train on August 3, 1907, owing to the vehicles receding from the vicinity of the 4S-mile peg, when the engines were detached through the partial failure of the second engine. The evidence was too conflicting to justify the jury in arriving at a decision as to why the Vehicles receded."

The inquiry into the recent fatal accident on the Auckland-Rotorua line opens at Auckland next Thursday. Mr. A. L. Beattie, chief locomotive engineer, and Mr. H. Buxton, chief trafnc°manager, will be present to give evidence, and, if desired, evidence will be crrren by Mr. Robertson, expert in New Zealand for the Westinghouge Brake Company.