DEATH OF A GANGER.

Shannon News, 21 September 1928, Page 3

DEATH OF A GANGER.

CORONER’S VERDICT AT _ INQUEST

The Coroner, Mr A. J. Graham, on Wednesday conducted an inquiry at the Courthouse, Palmerston North, into the circumstances surrounding the death of a railway ganger named William Sherlock, who died in the Public Hospital on September 7 following his jigger being run down by the Wclling-ton-Auckland Express which was proceeding on the level stretch between Shannon and Tokomaru.

Mr Onglcy appeared for the A.S.R.S. and Mr Grant for the fireman of the train, Mr J. Connell. Mr J. J. O’Shea represented the Railway Department, The first witness was John Muirliead, a railway guard, who gave evidence of identification. How the Accident Occurred.

Peter Salter, in the box, stated that lie was the driver of the WellingtonAuckland through express on September 7. The train had left Thorndon about 2 p.m. The day had been stormy but the express had been up to time on leaving Shannon. Witness had sound-, ed the engine whistle when approaching the ilaxmill crossing near that station, but after passing the crossing his view had been obscured by the" engine smoke which a head wind was blowing back on the cab. The train had been •.ravelling at a high speed when suddenly the smoke had lifted and witness had perceived a man on a velocipede some 150 yards ahead of the engine. The brakes had immediately been applied and the whistle, sounded. The man on the jigger had appeared to get off, but it had been too late fo* him to escape clear. In witnessed opinion the man had been attempting to get the jigger oR the rails, and in doing so had lost his life. The ganger might have caught his foot in his machine, but witness had not had time to notice any details. As soon as rvitness had seen the jigger he had applied the emergency brakes and pulldd up in a train’s length. Witness had often seen jiggers on-the rails, but the men invariably got them clear some time before the approach oi trains. He knew the Railway Department did not encourage jiggers to be on the line during a period when a train was due.

To the Coroner, witness stated his view had beeto obscured after leaving 1 he flax mill crossing. Smoke Obscures View..

To Mr Ongley, witness stated that, had it not been for the smoke blowing round the cab, he would undoubtedly have perceived the man on the jigger before approaching" to within 150 yards ot him. Witness would not expect the man to hear the whistle under the circumstances. There had been a head wind and the jigger rider had his back towards the approaching train. . To Mr O’Shea, witness stated that ho wa§ aware that there was a departmental regulation forbidding jiggers to be on the line at a time when a train was immediately due. Medical Evidence. Dr Frank Ward, medical superintendent at the Palmerston North Public Hospital stated that deceased, Sherlock had been admitted to hospital about 5 p.m. bn the evening of the 7th. inst. Deceased had then been suffering from severe shock and complaining of abdo minal pains. At 7.15 witness had again examined the injured man win then appeared very much worse. Pro vious to this Dr Forrest had seen de ceased but had decided on the evidence, that he would not operate. Owing to the sinking condition of deceased witness had later consulted with Ebr Fullest who had then decided to operate Deceased had been suffering from ruptured bladder, but the operation had been unable to prevent haemorr hage. He had died at 11.15 p.m. that evening as the result of shock ami haemorrhage following the rupture These injuries were consistent with deceased having been struck by a train. Fires Being Stoked. John Connell, fireman of the Auck land-Wcllingten express on the day in question, corroborated the evidence ot rhe driver. He, personally, had nol seen anything of the jigger until nftm the accident. Witness had been stok ing the lire and the first intimation of anvthing amiss had come from the en-i-ine driver, who had applied the enter-, genev brakes. The train had pulled up in its own length, and witness had got out and picked up the injured man. H( had asked him if he had heard the approaching train and had received what he had taken to be a negative shake of the head. In reply to Mr Grant, witness stated that the stoking of the fires would increase the volume of smoke coming from the engine,. Caught in Jigger. ' The guard on the train, Arthur Stani den, stated that deceased, when-picked i up, had not appeared to consider himself badly hurt. Deceased had told ; witness that, he had not seen the train ! until it Avas too late to escape clear. The injured man had further informed Avitness that he had cndeaA-oured to clear himself of the jigger, but his leg had caught in the handle of the ma- [ chine. Witness had not been advised that a jigger Avas on the line ahead — the onus Avas on the gangers to keep clear during the time a train was due. Laurence Gordon Archer Christie, a mechanic residing in Shannon, stated that on the day in question, lie had * been proceeding along the Kingston road at. a time when the WellingtonAueklaud express had been approaching. He had heard the engine whistle when nearing the flaxmill crossing and ; then again after passing the crossing. This second whistle had surprised wit-

ness, who had seen a man on the. rails endeavouring apparently to free himself from something. Witness could not see exactly what the object on the linne was, but deceased appeared to be trying hard to either remove it or got clear. He corroborated the evidence of the previous witnesses with regard to bad visibility, caving to the smoke and vain. He had seen the . train strike deceased, and had asistod in obtaining help for the injured man who had been ’thrown ever a fence into a paddock beside the line. Frederick Wm. Wilbey, a flax worker residing in Shannon, stated that he also had been an eyewitness of the accident. He corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. This concluded the evidence. Onus on the Ganger. The Coroner returned a verdict according to the medical evidence, that the deceased, William Sherlock, died at Palmerston North on September 7 as the result of shock and haemorrhage following a rupture of the bladder. “In this case, I must accept the statement of the driv.er that the weather conditions avere such as to cause the engine smoke to obscure a clear view of the line; in addition other witnesses corroborate this, ” said Mr Graham. “It would appear that immediately after the smoke lifted, the driver observed a jigger 150 yards ahead. He immediately blew the whistle and applied the brakes. It further appears that wken deceased hoard tho whistle, the train was almost on him, and he had not time to get clear. It also seems, from the regulations, that the onus is on the ganger —he should not be in the vicinity at a time when a train is duo.”