PARAPARAUMU FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2394, 18 February 1922, Page 2

PARAPARAUMU FATALITY.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. • ' * At an enquiry held at raumu on Tuesday into the circumstances surrounding the death of the late Mr Harry C. Field, evidence was given by Louis Ddbscheek to the effect that at about 2 p.m. on Monday he was standing on the verandah of a store about a chain from the scene of the accident. When witness first saw deceased he was riding a motor bike, and was in the act of crossing the railway. He was not travelling fast. The Auckland express appeared on the crossing from the direction of Wellington almost at the same instant. Witness thought deceased had got across, safely when he heard a crash. When the engine passed he could see nothing of deceased or the motor, and running over to the crossing he discovered deceased lying on the side of the line near the bike. From the direction deceased approached the line and crossing were quite open to the view.

The fireman of the express engine, Patrick Flannelly, said the whistle was sounded before reaching the crossing, as w r as the custom. The first he noticed of the accident was deceased crossing the rails, and / immediately after that he was' thrown clear by the engine. Witness called to the driver, who applied the< emergency brake and pulled the' train up in its own length. A formal verdict of accidental death was returned'by the Coroner (Mr W. C. Nation).