THE ONGARUE DISASTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2627, 1 September 1923, Page 3

THE ONGARUE DISASTER.

FINDING AT THE INQUIRY. “COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.” Wellington, Aug. 30. The report of the Board of Inquiry into the Ongarue railway disaster was delivered to-day. In reply to the question what was the cause of the derailment, the board finds it was due to the train colliding with several large boulders forming part of a slip in the cutting near Ongarue, that the occurrence was an accident, and could not have been prevented by the exercise of ordinary human pre-t cautions. The board- has good grounds for the belief that the fall was taking place at the time the train was passing, as (he boulder knocked off the handle of the smoke-box door. Heavy rainfall during May and June had brought about a saturated and unstable condition of the cutting.

The Board is satisfied that there was no neglect of duty on the part of any employee, directly or indirectly. Relief measures were promptly taken, and willing and effective assistance was given in rescuing injured passengers. The tools and ambulance appliances carried on the train were up (o the standard of New Zealand and Australian and the North British Railway.

The recommendations include the following: A greater number of tools should be carried for use in such an emergency, and a greater number of lights could have been used with advantage. The department is recommended to increase the number of lamps carried on express trains. The department is advised to have the cuttings in the locality specially examined, and the necessary steps taken to make them more secui’e. A stronger type of car is desirable on the main trains, so that they would be better able to resist*the shock of collision. It suggests that the department should consider the possibility of building carriage bodies of steel, instead of cast iron frames.

After hearing evidence concerning the disaster, and the daily measures taken by the department to ensure the safe running of trains, the board is satisfied that all reasonable precautions were taken to effect this purpose. Thanks were expressed to the witnesses, and to all who rendered assistance at the accident and the inquiry, also to the chief officers of the department.