PECULIAR TRAIN FATALITY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 245, 22 February 1911, Page 5

PECULIAR TRAIN FATALITY

FALLING ROCK KILLS A PAS. SENGER.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Tuesday. The inquest concerning the death of Miss Alice Power, who was killed on the railway near Paekakariki yesterday by a rock from a cliff striking the carriage, was opened today. Medical evidence was given to the effect that deceasea had a fracture of the base of the skull and of two ribs on the left side. The nose wag broken, also the bones of the left cheek and the upper jaw. Margaret Morgan, who was deceased's companion on the journey, said that Miss Power was cheerful and in good health. - Just after passing the itunnel witness heard a loud and violent noise, and was suddenly thrown to the opposite side of the carriage, When witness recovered she saw Miss Power lying on her back, and there was a big stone in the carriage, which was considerably broken up. Douglas NickleßS, engine-driver, stated that as the train was approaching Paekakariki he looked back and saw a boulder bounding towards the train from the hill side. The rock was not far up the hill, probably a chain, when he first saw it. He applied the brakes, and almost at the same moment the rock struck a second-class carriage which was about the third from the engine. After hearing the guard's evidence the inquest was adjourned to enable the coroner and jury to make a personal inspection of the scene of the accident