Girl's Death: Did Train Pull Out Too Soon?

Chronicle (Levin), 28 April 1949, Page 5

Girl's Death: Did Train Pull Out Too Soon?

NEW PLYMOUTH, April 27. A statement that the Auckland-New Plymouth express left Inglewood railwav station without his permission, was made by Robert Newton Smith, railwa\ porter, today at the inqi/est at Ingle wood into the death, of Erica Anne Lvon, aged 19, who was fatally injured wheii she fell whil^ attempting to board the train as it mov-ed from the station. No doubt the circumstances of the accident would be the subject of an inquiry by tlie Raihvay Department, said the Coroner, Mr. J. Covle, in giving a iinding in accordance with tht medical evidence. Smith said that at the time of the accident he was the only one on duty He had removed luggage from the van ! and was pushing it along the platform when he noticed a woman at the ticket oftice. He entered the- office, handed her a ticket and began to look for change. "The next thing I knew was that she had picked up her tickei and hurried away. " He added: "By her actions I thought the .train might , have been pulling out altliough I had not given the guard permission tc> leave. ' ' He.said he follovved the woman and could see she was going to board the train and he called out to her no$r to do so. When he saw her at the ticket office he said his iutentions had been to give her a ticket, ascertain whether it was time for the departure of the train, see her aboard, ring the bell and give the guard permjssion to leave. Under examination by counsel for the parents of the dead girl, Smith said he was sure the guard was obliged to get permission before the train de parted, The signal to Joe given was the -ringing of the station bell. There wav an obligation on the guard to give tLt all clear to the driver. Evidence was also given by a brother of the dead girl and by a farmei, Ernest Harris Reardon, pf Kaimata, who said he saw no offieial ?n the plat form as th'e train began to pull out. He liear'd no' bell and saw no """warning '• given. ' : *