ONGARUE ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1923, Page 3

ONGARUE ENQUIRY.

[n\- TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

TA DM Alt UN Ul. J uly 20. The Onga rue enquiry was continued. D. K. Dyne fa railway official) said lie had heard no official complaint from the injured. He overheard a complaint from a clergyman, hut this was unfounded, lie did not notice water running down the water table and had plenty of men and tools at the wreck. Angus Ross, a guard, who took the first train from Taumarumii to tho wreck, was in uniform, hut no complaint w.'s made to him about handling the doad. None wore rouglilt handled. The dead were shown as much respect as was possible in the circumstances. There was no complaint about insufficient tools. Thomas Durrv 'guard of the second train) said preference was given to the injured in tho conveyance. Tie did not hear a clergyman making a complaint; John Denaliy (storeman at Tatini'irumii station) said with a porter lie removed all the unclaimed luggage from the van and took it to the office. He told the passengers to collect it. No charges were made that he knew of. If there had been any argument about luggage he would have heard it. Storeman Denaby gave evidence that be was told to lilt luggage ofl the siation platform, as a good deal of it belonged to the injured. lie suggested to one passenger it would be more advisable to store the luggage, as there was a chalice of pilfering. Mit ness made no refernce to making a charge for storing. Alexander Laird. District Coroner, gave evidence as to opening an inquest and hearing evidence. A) itness was at the scene of the accident at 10.311. Ihe cow-catcher was bent back. He hcaid n.• complaints regarding the way the rescue work was carried out. 1 here wore officials and ochre present, to whom complaints could have been made. Robert C’rozier. Ganger-in-Cbarge "I Taiiniaranui section, evidenced bow be procured equipment t" go with the first relief train. There were plenty of tools. The row-catcher was bent and appeared to have been bit in the centie with something solid. T!i<" boulder was about a third ihe ' the Kakahi boulder. The latter wci-died about ten tons. The OngaiU" builder was three feet high bv live feet wide. )\ Ill'll he arrived on the first relief tram, he helped to relieve two injured men. who were iamnied between seats. He "Bo removed dead from the debris. '1 hey find to take the lifirst dead "Ml "I the windows, there being no other wav. A medical man helped to shift the (lead. Witness heard a certain clergyman remark that the dead should _ not be removed without a stretcher. I here v.ne plenty of tools and men lor the work o- rescue. The slip was a small one. but full of boulders. Otherwise the train would have got through Jt. He had known trains to go through slips. He heard no cnniiilnints as to a -hortagt of amhiilame nppliam". It was not a bad section. I'liele bad been rain, off and on, for sixteen weeks prior to tlio accident.