KILLED ON RAILWAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 883, 29 January 1930, Page 16

KILLED ON RAILWAY

INDIAN HIT BY TRAIN I EVIDENCE AT INQUEST JII. V'*,,. Special to THE SUX PAEROA, Tuesday. The adjourned inquest concerning the death of Basant Singh, labourer, 12, who died at Paeroa on Sunday shortly after being struck by the engine of an excursion train, was concluded today. J. M. Poole, railway clerk, of Te Aroha, stated that Basant Singh had been prevented from boarding a train the previous evening owing to drunkenness. Dr. G. T. Smith said that on examining deceased he found extensive injuries. Death was caused by shock caused by these injuries. R. L. Buchanan, engine driver, said he first saw the man near the 38-mile peg, between Waitoki and Te Aroha, walking on the line at a distance of 500 yards from the train. When the whistle was sounded with the train travelling at 40 miles an hour deceased appeared to step aside, but returned to the line. The emergency brake was applied and the sand box opened at a distance of 250 yards to 300 yards. The train was stopping to ten miles an hour when the engine hit deceased, carrying him on the running board in front of the smoke box for about 40ft. Broken glass on the running board suggested to witness that there had been a bottle in deceased’s possession at the time of the accident. The coroner, Mr. F. E. Flatt, J.P., returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence and exonerated the enginedriver from all blame.