BRIGHTON TRAM FATALITY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16434, 30 January 1919, Page 5

BRIGHTON TRAM FATALITY.

COURT OF ENQUIRY

The sittings of tho Court of Enquiry act up to determine tho causes of the tncnwav accident at New Brighton in Juno la»t, which resulted in the death of Conductor W. I). Owers, wero resumed yesterday moro"'Sir S. E. McCarthy',' S.M., acted mistiioiicr at tho instance of tho Publw Works Department. Mr J. J. Uou peared for 111* Chriatchmch Tramway Board, Mr ~ Thomas for c»Conducto(r E. P» Wi in ♦•v Mr F \V. Jolxnaton for Motonnan J3. TiL'vshortJ and Mr A. H. Kimball for tho Public Works Dopartmcnt. Continuing his evidence from tho dav, Edgar P. Turner, Cbristchurch Tramway Board, eaid accordance with the rulee of the Pubhc Works Department car 15 9 and l.j between which Owers had been passed by the Department. Witness was in charge of tho department of tho Tramway Board which was tho maintenance of, thocarß and. At tho time of tho accident both cax and trailer wero in excellent condition, and the? had been in commission ever s»noe "f" dent, tho only repair neceesar> bouin " small one duo to the collision at the time of the accident. The Pubho Depart ment hod made a number of taste church cars since the accident. the care beine selected at random. In each caac tho test had proved satisfactory. At nigh the car would be in darkness for ahou thirty seconds while tho trolley-pole wa being swung or adjusts. Witness know oi no overhead lighting system in which had an auxiliary lighting system. lb< lighting of the Cbristchurch cars and trailer; was quite sufficient to comply with the requirements of the Order-in-Comicil relatinf to the lighting of tram cars. To Mr Kimball: Ho did not know whe ther tho Board's employees strictly observe the rules relating to the system of signals According to the rule-book, tho motormai must receive threo distinct Bounds of th< "buzzer" before backing. In witness < opinion tho accident would rot ha'vo oc curred if Motormau Tilleyshort• hod waitet for tliree sounds of tho buzrer. Tilleyshor would have had a betteT Tiow if the ca on which Conductor Owers win had beei lighted.

To Mr Thomas: No provision wastnade to: lighting cars at the terminii at nights. t I was not practieabJo to have an. auxilt-wj lighting' system of oil lamps on cars anu trailers. Some of the old "box' trailers ton years ago had oil lamp 3 because they -nova run on lines where no electricity was availTo Mr Johnston: Witness would not admit that the lighting and "buzzer" leads was one of the parts of the car equipment requiring most attention: To Jir Doug-all: Where trailers wore used it would not bo practicable for officiemt working to liavo a communication cord between the car and the trailer on account of the amount of slack required on tho cmb when taking curves. The "buzzer" was much more effective, and all the tramway employees to whom witness had spoken on the subject had expressed appreciation of the "buzzer" system. 1 - ; ■ ■ Harold Arthur do Courcy Brown, traffic manager to tho Christchuroh Tramway Board, gave evidcnco as to having made tests • of speed with regard to tho timetable. Alterations were constantly being made in the- traffic arrangements owing to the fluctuations in the traffic. Tests were made on , various lines at tho time of tho "go-slow policy among the Board's employees. _On some lines the trams ran ahead of the timetable without exceeding tho speed laid down by the Order-in-Council. Witness also g&vo the distances of various portions of tho lino between the Square and New Brighton. Ho ' described the procedure of tho motormon and conductor when changing from one end of the car to the other. In the case of moving- back witli trailers the instructions were that the conductor should bo on tie platform of the leading trailer, and Hint tho motorman should not move from liu* platform until tho conductor "in charge or tho trnm gn/vo the signal of three buzzes. . To Mr Kimball: Instructions regarding alterations in time-tables, etc., were issued to tho men in weekly notes and the ornrn of obtaining the note? rested on tho men. - There was no second oonductor on tho trailer. The rule 3 provided that there should b© a second conductor on the car between the Square and Linwood. Mr Dougall contended that tie matter | of there not having been a second con- | ductor was without the scope of tho eni q "rhe enquiry was then adjourned until FebI ritftry 32th. ,