LEVEL CROSSING FATALITY.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1920, Page 3

LEVEL CROSSING FATALITY.

TREES OBSTRUCTED VIEW. PALMERSTON, N. Jan. 20. An inquest was held to-day before Mr A. J. Graham, (Deputy-Coroner) and a jury of four touching the death of Eliza Sanford, which resulted from injuries received in a collision between a spring trap in which was riding and the Napier express at Monrad Street crossing on Jan. 12th.

E. J. Edwin, engine-driver of the train, deposed that he blew the whistle and could see no one near the crossing of which he had a straight view until he came within three engine-lengths of it. Then lie saw a vehicle approaching the crossing, and he again sounded the whistle. Tho engine struck the horse and swung it round while the gig was left on the other side of the line. He pulled up in about ten car lengths, and went back to the scene, of the accident, where he found the deceased lying about four feet from the lines. The view df the road was obstructed by poplars about three-engine lengths from the crossing. These trees were on private property. Thomas Edwin Sanford, husband of the deceased, who was driving the gig, said that he did not see or hear tho train at all, the view being obstructed by a hedge and trees. He remembered nothing about the collision. The first

he knew was when he came to in hospital. He suffered from deafness in one ear, but his wife’s hearing was good. After hearing other evidence, the Coroner pointed out that at a previous inquest representations had been made to the Railway Department about trees obstructing the view, but nothing

had been done in the matter, and it seemed that nothing would be done unless there were danger to the Department’s trains. There would have to be a puetty strong recommendation to move the Railway Department. The verdict was that deceased died from injuries received in an accidental collision with the train, no blame being atachable to the engine-driven It was decided to recommend to the Railway Department that in order to allow an engine-driver to have an earlier and better view of Mon rad Street crossing, the line of poplar trees between Monrad Street and Kairanga Road should be removed.