LIFE GUARDS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10284, 20 May 1919, Page 4

LIFE GUARDS

ON TRAMCARS.

INTERESTING RIDER. BY A CORONER, Press Association. AUCKLAND, May ID. The question of the efficiency of the lifeguards employed on the tramcars was gono into by Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M., as ail aspect of the inquest relative to the death of Charles William Coleman, a lad who was run over by a tramcar on College Hill on March 4th. Tho coroner witnessed a demonstration and took evidence respecting the working of the lifeguards. He found that the death of tho boy was the result of injuries received through being knocked down by the tramcar and that no blame was attachable to the driver of the car as he had had no opportunity of averting tho accident.. In a rider the coroner adds:—"l am of opinion that the body of deceased passed under the lifeguard of the oar, physical evidence being inconsistent with any other theory, and was dragged and crushed by the under part of the car until it was caught by.the brake block at the left hand of the rear set of wheels, and was thrown clear of the car. The life-saving apparatus in use on the car is of the type approved by the Public Works' Department, and is recognised as being one of the best in use on the tramcars. The evidence, however, shows that its valuo as a Kafeguard against loss of life or less injury is dependent in a great n*#asur« on the position in which the body or other object is lying on tho track and that extent of the injury may depend on the rapidity with which a car can be brought to a stop. To be absolutely effective guards should be so constructed as to prevent- anything lying on the track from getting beneath any part of the car.' '