HIKURANGI DISASTER

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1041, 4 August 1930, Page 10

HIKURANGI DISASTER

BUS-DRIVER’S SECOND TRIAL

The driver of the motor-bus concerned in the Hikurangi level-crossing disaster, in which six passengers were killed and four injured, Noel Herbert Wilkinson, faced his second trial before Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court today, on a charge of negligence, causing death and injury. The accident occurred on the evening of April 5, when the bus collided ■with a train from Whangarei. Mr. V. R. Meredith prosecuted and Mr. R. A. Singer appeared for the accused.

Similar evidence to that adduced at the first trial last week was presented. The assistant engineer of the Public Works Department, Robert R. Menzies. in describing the locality, said that there was another railway crossing about 700 yards .before the scene of the disaster.

The traindriver, Arthur IT. Manning, stated that immediately after the accident he went over to the Hikurangi side of the engine in search of a car to send back to Hikurangi for medical aid. There was no other vehicle in sight. He declared that if there had been a car following the bus it could not have passed over the crossing, which was blocked by the train and the wrecked bus.

Mr. Singer sharply questioned the witness* as to the reason he had not given this evidence previously, and Manning stated that he had not been questioned on the point. He asserted that the busdriver was driving at between 35 and 40 miles an hour.

The absence of any car oil the Hikurangi side of the train immediately after the collision was corroborated by Constable Farrell. (Proceeding.)^