CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2598, 5 May 1877, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

Friday.

An inquest on the late railway accident was held yesterday evening. It appeared that the gatekeeper saw the luggage train go through to Kakaia in the morning, and expected it to return, but when ther last passenger train from Eakaia to Christchurch passed in the evening he did not see any signal-lamp at the rear end of the train to denote that there was another train to follow. He thus concluded that the goods train was not to return that night, and returned to bed. At 1 o'clock he was awoke by the engine whistling,,and ran out in his shirt, but had. no time to open the gate before the engine dashed through. On the other hand, it was stated by the railway officials that notice had ■ been served on all ''the gatekeepers respecting that special train, and it was understood to be their duty to stop till it returned, even if they had to wait all night. The men who were on the engine with the deceased said a white light was always shown when the gates were open; and the deceased, when some distance from the race-course gates, said he thought" it was all right, but on getting nearer he found he had made, a mistake, as the light seen belonged to another further up the line. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," with a rider that the regulations should be more strictly carried out, and that no regulations which are simply supposed to be understood should be considered bind* ing on gate-keepers, and that a danger lamp should be shown on each gate across the line every night, and for the whole night. There is every probability of the Canterbury Spinning and Weaviug Oom-

pany being wound up, as all the capital is exhausted, and though new shares have been offered to the public none have been taken up.