DRIVER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

Grey River Argus, 2 April 1948, Page 5

DRIVER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

“It may be said that Gurr seems voune- for an engine-driver, but, sc far as using age as a criterion isi concerned. if an engine-man has not ful possession of all normal faculties with balanced judgment and a sense of train running responsibility at 2 J I do not think he will ever have them ” said Mr Binstead. There wa. a d responsibility on the dnver U observe the rule that he must repjrt the matter it required to drive ovei an unfamiliar route, and he could not. be forced to run a train over a section which he did not know. Gurr’s 1946 certificate mdica ‘ed that

he was aware of his duty in that respect. Mr Wicks: There is nothing m your evidence to show that the Department ascertained that Gurr knew thp route? —I should say that responsibility was discharged. _Mr Guthrie, the senior locomotive driver was satisfied. • , Mr Tarr: In your opinion, was Mr Buckley justified in sending Gurr tc Kaikoura?—He made the best possible decision he could under the circumstances, and, taking those into account, he was justified. Would he have been influenced by the staff position?—Yes. The hearing continues to-morrow.