SANDON TRAM FATALITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2521, 21 December 1922, Page 2

SANDON TRAM FATALITY.

COR ONI AL INQUIRY. An inquest concerning the death, of Alfred Thomas Seandlyn, .aged 33 years, late of Sanson, who was employed by the Manawatu , County Council, and who died from injuries received as a result of falling beneath the engine of the Sanddn tram at Rongotea siding on December 11, was held at Palmerston on Tuesday. Formal evidence was given by Mr A. K. Drew, County clerk and Dr. Putnam.

John Currie, engine-driver, employed by the Manawatu County Council, said the tram'left Sanson at 9.20 a.m. on the day of the accident, the deceased being in the. van. On reaching the Rongotea siding, it was found necessary to have sand laid down on the track owing to the slippery nature of the lines. Deceased was engaged in doing this in company with the fireman of tlie engine. When witness last saw the deceased he was standing on the cow-catcher of the engine, putting sand on the rails. This position was the only one in which he could place the men to do the sanding, owing to tlie thick growth of the grass on the track. - When the accident occurred witness was about 500 yards on the Foxton side of the Rongotea siding, and the first intimation he had that anything was wrong was hearing his mate shout out, “hold her” as witness was in the act of closing the fire-box on the engine. He applied the brakes and pulled up within an engine’s length. The fireman then told witness that the deceased was underneath, the engine and he at once got down and found him -under the trailing driving axle.- Witness and his'fireman then assisted the deceased from under the engine and laid him on the side of the track. A doctor was summoned and.arrived about three quarters of ail hour afterwards. Deceased made no comment on the accident, but told witness that he was about done.

In reply to the coroner, witness said that it had been the practice for many years to do the .sanding from the cow-catcher, and this was (he first accident that had occurred. The engine was travelling at be-, tween four and five miles; an hour at the time.

The Coroner: Had the grass growing, on the track been' kept down what would have been the position?—There would have been no trouble at all —that is, sauding wquld not have been necessary. To Mr Eliott: The deceased was assisting him that, morning, although sometimes he worked on the lorry. Witness was facing the side of tlie engine while attending to the fire box and could not see the deceased and the fireman while doing it. He considered the work of sanding from the cow-catcher was fairly safe, and could not suggest a better method.

Francis Florence, the fireman of the engine, said that when the train left Rongotea siding the deceased was on the right-hand side of the eow-cateher, sanding the line. While the tram was moving at* between four and five miles. an hour he got off the engine and threw one shovelful of sand on to the foot rest on front of the engine and then threw the shovel up on to the front of the engine. When he attempted to jump on to the cow*catcher his foot slipped and he fell between the rails. Witness called to the driver to stop the engine, which pulled up within a length and a quarter. The deceased was half under the cowcatcher and witness helped to pull him out and place him at the side of the track.

In reply to questions, witness said it was the usual practice to load sand on to the engine while in motion.

Alfred Kingsley Drew, recalled, was questioned by Mr Innes as to whether there were any regulations forbidding the employees* of the council from jumping off the engine to Toad up fresh supplies of Sand. Witness replied in the negative.'Witness further stated that while the council did all it could to keep down the grass,on, thq track,;ise,jjrolific; growth this year made it difficult to do so. It would require a large number of men to clear the track and keep it like those of the Government railways. ‘The coroner recorded a verdict' that the deceased died from shock following injuries sustained by accidentally falling off and being run over by an engine in the Manawatu County on December 11. He expressed the opinion thtft, in the interests of public safety, something should be done to keep down the grass growing on the railway track of the council, and he urged the adoption of a safer system of sanding the line, whereby it would not be necessary for the employees to alight from and board the engine while in motion.