HUTT RAILWAY FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 122, 21 February 1928, Page 7

HUTT RAILWAY FATALITY

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. The Coroner (Mr. E. Page, S.M.) held an inquest touching the death of Ernest Russell Seller, a married man, aged 45, of Queen Street, Upper Hutt, who died in the Public Hospital on the night of February 14, from injuries received as the result of being knocked down by a train near Woburn Station, Lower Hutt, on the same day. Mr. M. F. Luckie appeared for the widow and relatives of deceased, while Mr. M. Vance represented the Railway Department. The evidence went to show that deceased was walking along a side line, adjacent to the track, on which a work tram was slowly backing from the water tanks towards the Woburn Station at about 4.40 p.m., when be stepped out suddenly, and was knocked down by a truck. The whistle of the train was blowing frequently, but Seller stated, after the accident, that he thought the train was on the same line as he was walking along, and that was why he changed, over to the other rails. When the. accident occurred, deceased was walking along towards Woburn Station, with some other railway workmen, in order to catch his train home. In returning a verdict of accidental death, the Coroner said that he did not think the. accident was attributable to any negligence®of the Railway Department or to its officials. The accident was caused by some momentary thoughtlessness on the part of deceased, in stepping out in front of the train without first looking to see what track it was on.