ACCIDENT OR DESIGN ?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1604, 22 November 1912, Page 6

ACCIDENT OR DESIGN ?

_$ OBSTRUCTION ON THE RAILWAY. MYSTERIOUS INCIDENT. (From a Correspondent.) Taumarunui, November 21. As the night exp-Rsss from Auckland to Wellington was neuring Taupiri last night what appears to have Ixxii an attempt to wreck the train by placing a sleeper across tho rails was discovered. It wab just oh midnight, and the. train was about iivc miles south of the mining township of lluntiy when the passengers were disturbed by tho train pulling up suddenly with a grating noise in an unusual part of tho line. The natural belief was t'nat there was something wrong. There wore two Cabinet Ministers on'board, namely, tho Hons. VV. H. Hemes and J. Allen, wjio were returning from tho Premier's banquet. An investigation indicated that there had been an attempt to wreck the train, and that it was only the quick eyo and presence of mind of tho driver (Dalziell) which, saved the situation. In tho clear moonlight Dalziell saw the obstruction just as the engine was about to pick it. up, and, smartly puling on the brakes, he pulled up in time to'prevent an accident. As it was,.tho sleeper got jammed iu the cow-catcher, its removal necessitating the backing of the train and the use of a crowbar. After a delay of a quarter of an hour the train proceeded on its way. Mr. Hemes left- the train at Frankton Junction, and-Mr. Allen continued tho journey to Wellington. GENERAL MANAGER'S STATE- .. ' MENT. ; The General Manager stated last night that tho report that there was a sleeper across tho rails was correct, but he added that no one could say how it came thero —through accident or design—until an inquiry had been made. Such inquiry would bo mado. He remarked, also, that a sleeper was an obstruction which the cow-catcher could remove.