HOROTIU FATALITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 583, 8 February 1929, Page 16

HOROTIU FATALITY

THREE KILLED AT LEVEL CROSSING

JURY WANTS SAFE APPROACHES (From Our O-wn Correspondent) HAMILTON, Thursday. The level-crossing fatality at Horotiu on January 1, when Mrs. Alice Armstrong, of Horotiu, Miss Violet Howsej of Auckland, and Mrs. Phyllis Anderson, of Auckland, were killed, was the subject of an inquest held by Mr. B. C. Lowry and a jury of four to-day. Senior-Sergeant Sweeney appeared on behalf of the police, Mr. W. S. Johnson appeared for the driver of the car, A. Armstrong, and Mr. W. J. King for the Auckland Automobile Association. William Langbein, assistant engineer, Railway Department, produced a locality plan, and said views of the line from the road on the east side could be obtained at points 950 ft, 337 ft and 68ft back. There were two sets of notices at the crossing, but there were ho other tvarning devices. HEARD WHISTLE AND CRASH Miss Anita Sutherland, postmistress at Horotiu, said she was in a railway cottage near the Horotiu crossing ©.t 1.30 L .m. on January 1. She heard a. whistie and then a crash. The car was thrown across the fence on to the cattle stop. Witness considered that the approach to the crossing from the east side was dangerous for motorists on account of the hedge, the dip in the road, and other obstacles. The driver of the express, James Hannan, said he blew' the whistle twice before reaching the crossing. He saw the car when it was two cha \ * from the crossing, and, realising that it was not going to pull up, he applied the brakes. The collision then occurred. Witness had been driving over the section for about. 18 years. PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS To Mr. Johnson, witness said a house and a hedge obscured the car at a distance of eight chains from the crossing. To Mr. King, witness said overhead bridge or gates seemed to be the only effective way of preventing accidents. CAR DRIVER’S EVIDENCE Alexander Armstrong, the driver of the car, said he left Waihi early on the morning of January 3. Some time was spent in Te Aroha and Morrinsville, and he drove through Gordonton on his way to Horotiu. He approached the crossing at six or eight miles an hour. One of the passengers advised him that the line was clear. He looked north and south before proceeding over the crossing, and saw no train until immediately prior to the collision. Ho tried to accelerate the car, but it was then too late. He had been driving for three years.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death with respect to each of the deceased. It added that there was no blame attachable to the driver of the train.

The jury passed a rider in which it stated that it regarded the crossing in question as a dangerous one owing to the configuration of the road and the obstructing growth. It also considered that the Government should assume responsibility for making the approaches to level-crossings reasonably safe, notwithstanding the customary neglect of motorists to observe the Government railway regulations.