A MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1926, Page 4

A MYSTERY

DEATH OF ILYIiAVAY CLEANER. [by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.J AUCKLAND, September 10. The impiest concerning the death of Cecil Herbert Kxuroy, railway cleaner, who died on September 7th from injuries received by being pinned between an engine tender and a coal stage at Auckland railway yards was held this morning before Mr W. R. McKean, S.M. Henry Clayton Bishop, engine driver, stated that he was driving the engine which struck deceased. The engine was being shunted in order to put it in the shed. Deceased was engaged in turning the points. Alter turning one set of points, deceased ran ahead of t' e engine, and the next time witness saw him, lie came from the hack of the engine, and looked towards .witness. He had previously walked on the left hand side of the engine. He had now crossed the line, and was standing alongside the coal stage. Witness realised deceased was in a dangerous place and called out: “ Look out! ” The deceased. 'however, made no reply. He was at that moment almost alongside the tender. Witness then made an attempt to stop the engine, hut it' travelled about five feet before coming to rest. When the engine stopped deceased was pinned between the tender and the coal stage, and the clearance was only four inches at that point. Parts of the coal stage had to bo dismantled in order to free deceased. Deceased bad always attended to this particular engine, and on previous occasions the engine was moved in a similar manner. He knew the round Hie engine would have to take. Witness bad no idea whv deceased crossed the engine and tvliat ihe was doing by the coal stage. The Coroner in returning a verdict of accidental death, said it was 11iffi'•nit to understand why deceased had crossed the engine. There seemed to be no reason for his having gone to the coal stage. The witnesses had boon enable to suggest any reason and the Coroner was unable to do so.