FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1355, 16 January 1905, Page 2

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

‘INQUEST AT MORRINSVILLE. THE RULES REGARDING JIGGERS

The inquest regarding the death of A»fr Beid, who was killed by a collision between - on engine and a jigger, was resumed a*--; Morrinsville on Friday. Mr W. Forrest acted as coroner. Mr Bise, district engi-j naer, was present on behalf of the Department of Railways, and to afford any information in his power, as was also Mr Johnston (traffic manager), and Mr Bowles (locomotive inspector). Mr Swarbricki? conducted th 6 inquiry on behalf of the re- ; latives of the deceased. Schofield, the stationmaster at Morrineville, deposed that he was not supposed to . warn anybody that a special train wonld ran, and had no means of doing so. He did not get notice till 5 p.m. on Monday. It was a rale to display a red disc at the tail of a train preceding a special. On the oooasion in question there was no oppor-i; tunity to do this. He did not know whether any platelayers had left Morrinavillo after he received news of the; “ special.”

J. Edgar, inspector of permanent way, deposed that it was .usual, when possible, to advise the running of special trains. It was not possible in this case. The accident happened at a place five miles 36 chains from 'Morrinsville, on a curve cJc IS!- chains’ radins, in a cutting about lift, deep. The driver of the engine conld not see the men on tho jigger more than 100, yds off. If the engine and jigger wertj travelling at the usual pace, the distance between would be travelled in about fivS seconds. The only escape for the men on the jigger would be to fall off. The regntion was that in the case of men on a jigger not being able to see balf-a-mile ahead, one should go before with a r&d flag, and another follow. Is was the duty of the men to be conversant with this misTwo men could not comply with rule 134. If u man had been ahead tho accident conld not havo_ occurred. Witness re* oeived notice of special trains from the engineer’s offico, and he warned the men when possible. If there had been a (otophone at Kiwitahi he could bavo warned the men. Kyle had been suspended Witness in his roport to tho Departmr n *J did not blame Kyle. It was the duf „ J o £ the man on the front seat to lof’,!; q ß | ahead. If the engine driver had ’’.yhjstieil when approaching the cutting, t u_ should have heard it. “ ® 1316 T. Kyle, surfaceman, dhpersed that ha was with deceased wb; ea he was killed. He was sitting on the, baok SQat> faci th ea B lr J®* When k? saw the engine L? was 40yds distant. He did not move. Ho i_ The y jvere going eight or 10 miles an hour- He heard no whistle or sounds. He .knew that rale 134 said men should go ahead of the jfgger. was not customary to do so. He had been 2o years in the service, and he had never seen a jigger protected as laid down in the* rules. If they had complied with the rnlea. they would have been late, and been tit pnmanded. It would take about half-an-hour to flag the dangerous places. Joseph Mack, railway guard, deposed that he was in charge of the special trainThe first thing he knew was the suddesiiapplication of the Westinghouse brake. T cr,f taia sub sequently travelled from 70ft to Soft. The train was travelling 17 of 18 miles an hour. E. Warren, engine driver, deposed that* the train was running abt>ut IS miles an. hour. He did not see the iigger till within 20 yards. He oould not have seen ik earlier. He immediately applied thet emergency brake, and brought the trainyup in 70ft. He whistled before entarhui the catting. & The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. A ridor was added that tho railway system wo3 faulty, inasmuch as it does not provide that platelayers be advised oT special trains, also that telephone communication should bo established at platelayers’ houses at tho out-stations.