FIREMAN'S BODY FOUND

Chronicle (Levin), 31 August 1946, Page 5

FIREMAN'S BODY FOUND

GORGE RAILWAY TRAGEDY At 10.45 a.m. yesterday, 11 days aftei tlie tragedy, the body of Ronald Francis Hoskin, lireman 011 tlie ill-fated "KA" locomotive which with three leading waggons of a Palmerston Xorth-Napier goods train was engulfed by a landslip in Ihe Manawatu Gorge and disappear ed over a (i(J foot baiilc into the -Mana watu River, was recovered by the police. Xo traee has yet been found of the lnissing engine driver, Basil Ylillar CT'aighead. While patrolling the'banks of the river in' the vicinity of the Ashhurst, traftic bridge, about four miles from the scene of the accident, Constable A. G. Johnson, of Ashhurst, saw tlie body lying a few yards back from the bank alniost. entirely covered in silt. lt was about lOg yards downstream from the bridge, and did not appear to be muti lated .in any way. An inquest was opened at Palmerston Xorth later in the day before Mr. G. C. Marsack, S.M. After evidence of identification had been given by Alliert Edward Johnson, assistant locomotive foreman at Palmerston North, the in quiry was adjourned sine die. Tlie late l£v. Hoskin who was a single man, aged 24 years, was the son of Mr. George William Hoskin, of 5 Gorran Avenue," Wanganui, and resided witli his sister, Mrs. Dixon, at 50 Guy [Avenue, Palmerston North.