DANGEROUS CROSSING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1666, 5 February 1913, Page 4

DANGEROUS CROSSING.

• A MOTOR-CAR FATALITY. THE INQUEST/ JURY'S VERDICT AND RIDERS. (By Telcuraph.—Press Association.) Auckland; February i. Tho inquest on the death of Ellen Mary Gordon, who was killed in u motor-car accident at Katikapakapa on Jnnuary 14, was continued to-day at Heleiisvillo. Nina Morton Hill, wiic of Dudley Uruco •Hill,, of Fcrnhill, Uawko's Hay, said Hint at tho time of tho accident Mr. Hill was driving. ..Mrs. Gordon was. sitting besido him. Witness was sitting behind tha' driver. Tho' speedometer . registered an average of ten miles an ,houi' between Auckland and llelensville. On reaching a bridge two miles on tho Helensvillo sido of ICaukapakapn the,y thought they had loft tho railway. 'Witness kept n sharp look-out. Sho saw no signals beforo tho smash. Witness had.some recollection ct. hearing a whistle tho saino instant 'as catching sight of tho engine, which was at the crown of tho dip. Mr. Hill cramnwd, on his brakes, but tho impetus wus too great, and tho-distance, too short Tho occupants were all thrown out, and tho, forepart of tho car was stnuslied. Her sister (tho deceased) was picked upjicsido the cattle-Stop. 1 Witness did not know at that limo she was . dead, but knew sho was badly hurt, Tho engine' was hidden by tho trees, which form ft hedge. They did not attempt to rush tho lino, i'hey had ii ninp, but tho map did Hot show tho railway crossing.'' Dudley IJrucc Hill said ho'was an ex-

perienced driver. Ho had been driving • lor ten years. Ho did not sec any sign, 'Stop! ]jook out for tho engine 1" Ho did not see/tho railway lino. Witness heard no whistle, except when ho sighted, tho N engine. That would be when the car was a' chain or a chain and n, half away.. Tho engine was hidden by trees, Vnd tha tails by a dip in tho Toad. The Irossing was tho most, dangerous ono'ho h! id'ever', seen;' .'.. '•'. , • ... ■■ '■{ ■'■'.: • .

, Other evidence jrris 'he'ardt'; ■'• ; V ' - After two hours' adjournment the jury!. ; ■) returned thefollowing verdict:— •: ■ , ' , "That the deceased Ellen Mary' Gorton ■ '■[ was,'accidentally killed at Kaukapakapa' .through' a: inotor-ear, of which she was .','■ t.lia occupant, colliding with, the ■ railway ". train.!': ■■■)■■'■ ." .; '. •.'■ , ; , : ■ ' t ■

The follo\viiig riders were.'added:—. , ■.: ."That the crossing is a particularly, dniigbrbus oho, .owing to' the approach) ' thereto being obscured by hedges, Which should have been kept cut or removed,' ..'• aiid also froilithe fact that there is a bend in the roadway at that place.'; v. '■■■:' "That tho' regulation .stop-sign, owi'nff to the bond of the road mentioned, is! localise of its! situation, useless^as a Sum- ..; cient warning as to distance, and should, in our opinion, be placed on tho other . Bide of tile road. ... V ' "That, in view of tho danecroiiß naluro , of this orossiug, the; jury does hot consider that the ltailwny Department'has ; . ■ provided sufficiont;wnrning of tho proxim"ity of the crossing to serve as li safeguard , ■ lb the travelling, public. ■.'■■.■■;■'.'' "That since, in, the - case of this cross- v •ing, tho growthof ■'■. trees and. hedges ob-.' structs thevie\vnta<iistance,aiidincrcasoß . the danger of crossings; the' local, body . of the locality'affected should assist'tho • Kailway' Department in removing and having- removed such obstructions; and • that this should be a Inattcr of standing \ instructions to their r.angers..- ~ , "That it is a recommendation of tho jurv that,-if so required, the rules 1 and regulations of tho Kailway, Department. affecting railway crossings, stop. signals .:, and signs bo refrained and enforced'• in, ; such Q :\fhy as to enable the peculiar'.,re- , quhimeilt's'bf'.each particular crossing to ,-', bo-considered."' ; . ' ..,"..-'. •;,,