THE HEATHCOTE FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 74, 20 December 1919, Page 11

THE HEATHCOTE FATALITY

FINDING OF COMMONER TRAMWAY BOARD CRITICISED Br Triearrrmh—Preoa Aiwoiatlon. Christchurch, December ID. The finding of Air. S. K. M'Carthy, S.M., tho Commissioner appointed to inquiro into the fatal tramway accident a! Iloatlicoto on May 15, states that tho tram and trailors were loaded with pussenirers beyond tho limit of safety, and Unit, the practico of overcrowding is common and is connived at by the Tramwai Board for financial reasons. _ Tho derailment of tho car was tho joint result of defective track conditions, tho presence of ft stono in tho points, and excessive speed. Answering several questions set out in tho order of reference, tho Commissioner tinds as follows:— (a) Tho train at tho time of tho dorailment was travelling at an excessivo rato of speed. Trailer 58 did not jump tho points, but split them owing to tho preseuco of anobstructing stone. (b) Each carriage of (ho train wm» loaded beyond limits of safety. (c) Tho train was inadequately manned at tho time of tho accident. It had only one conductor. It should linvo had threo. fd) There was not an elTe.etivo system of signalling, and this defect was a factor contributing to tho overturning of trailer No. SS. (q) The tramway track and the permanent way there, apart from t.lio defects indicated, in good order. (f) Tho timo allowed by tho timetable for the Christchureh-Sumncr soetion is insufficient if a iMotorinaii is compelled to maintain an even speed of four miles an hour when passing through points, ami to luako customary stops and reduction of spped. | (g) The accident was partly duo to the negligence of tho motormnn in i driving at an excessive rate of speed, partly to the.presence of a stone in the points, which presence night have been unknown to the motormau when approaching them, and partly to over- . crowding, undemamung, and an inefficient signal system. fh) There arc no oilier causes whicli will account for the accident. Included among the recommendations is the following:—"I would suggest that 'each car be licensed to i-nrry a definite number of sitting and standing passengers, the latter to lie located in aisles at. the discretion of the, conductor, and the number licensed to by printed in a conspicuous placo on each vehicle." Tho Commissioner cannot- recommend the cancellation of the motorman's license, and concludes: "In my opinion, the board is moro culpable than h;."