SURFACEMAN'S DEATH

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1940, Page 10

SURFACEMAN'S DEATH

(Special to Daily News).

VERDICT OF INQUEST

Taumarunui, Sept. 3. A verdict that death was due to shock and haemorrhage as the result of injuries re9eived when the jigger on which he was travelling collided with a railway engine between Kakahi and Owhanga, on the Main Trunk line. on August 12 was returned by the district coroner, Mr. W. Thomas, at an inquest into the death of Thomas George Sullivan, railway surfaceman, aged 24 years. Herbert Simmonds, stationmaster at Taumarunui, stated that the special train which collided with the jigger on which deceased was travelling left Taumarunui at 3.45 p.m., and the accident happened at the 187-mile peg. According to the rules any man in charge of a jigger must walk on the line unless he could sec half a mile in each direction. He had to protect the jigger and himself. William Edward Meredith said he was working with deceased on the day of the accident and they stopped work at 4.15 p.m. They were proceeding in the direction of Kakahi on a jigger, and had travelled about 15 chains when the accident occurred. When he saw the engine first it was about 8 or 10 feet away and he jumpcd clear. Witness did not see what happened to deceased. He had no idea what speed the engine was travelling, and when the accident happened they were on their way to the telephone to find out if there was a train on the line. The driver of the engine, James George Heavey, said the accident occurred at what was regarded as the worst curve in the King Country. When he first saw the jigger it would be about 20 yards away from the front of the qngine. The speed travelled was 25 miles on an upgrade. Constable G. Edwards said he took measurements and the distance of vision travelling south through the cutting was 2 chains 47 feet.