AISGILL TRAIN DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1852, 11 September 1913, Page 7

AISGILL TRAIN DISASTER.

ARE ENGINE STAFFS TOO SMALL? By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Rcc. September 10, 10.30 p.m.) London, September 10. As a result of tho Aisgill railway accident, many railway engineers favour a third man being posted for duty on tho engine. They point out that tho driver's and firemon's work lias becomo moro and more onerous and exactingOne of tho rescuers states that, with others, ho attempted to liberate Sir Arthur Douglas from the burning carbut they wcro driven back by tho intense hoat. Sir Arthur Douglas s le"s wero buried beneath debris, but subsequently tho woodwork burned away, partly liberating him. One or the rescuer's arms was burnt while extracting the pinned victim from tho, wreckage. CARRIAGE ILLUMINANTS. ME. BERRIES MAKES A. STATEMENT. "The result of tho investigations into tho Aisgill accident, so far as it aflecti the firing of tho carriages by gas, will bo closely watched, and tho application of the remedies suggested by the Board of Trade will receive consideration when they aro known," said tho Hon. W. II 'Herries (Minister for Railways) in tho Houso of Representatives yesterday, bo far, however, as the safety of gas js concerned, experience in New Zealand has boen quito the opposite to that in the recent accident in England. At tho time of tho R-akaia collision tho railway carriages were lighted bv Pintsch gas, and not onlv was tho lighting unaffected W tho collision, but by its efficiency it materially aided tho operations of thoso who wcro engaged in cleaving wreckap and abstracting tho injured from the damaged cars. Our experience was similar in the Banksido collision, where tho carriages were very severely damaged, but the gas cylinders remained intact. •In fact, from the timo Pintsch gas was first installed up to' tho present New Zealand experience shows it to be au efficient and safe system of lighting. To now substitute electricity and discard Pintsch gas, merely because a firo has attended a railway collision at Home, would involve an enormous expenditure, which I do not think would bo justified in the circumstances."