CROSSING FATALITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1942, Page 2

CROSSING FATALITY

VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH CAR DRIVER FAILS TO HEAR TRAIN. FINDING OF THE CORONER. A verdict of accidental death was returned by the District Coroner, Mr L. J. Taylor, at an inquest held on Saturday afternoon, concerning the death of Mrs E. G. Eton from injuries received in a crossing accident in Masterton on June 4. The accident occurred at the Cornwall Street crossing and Mrs Eton's death followed on July 3. The evidence of Mrs F. Whitton, the driver of the car, in which Mrs Eton was a passenger, was taken at the hospital. This showed that she did not hear the train whistle at any time. “I commenced to cross , the crossing,” she stated, “and all of a sudden I saw a train on my right, almost on top of my car. I made a sudden swerve .to my left on to the cattle stop and at the same time applied my brakes. The reason I swerved to my left was to try to miss the train, but I was too close to avoid it. I do not remember what happened after that.” Hector Alexander Don, engine driver, said he gave the usual warning blast on the whistle when approaching the crossing. When the train was about 60 yards from the crossing he was informed by the fireman that there was a car approaching and he immediately gave another blast on the whistle. He was on the right hand side of the train and as he pulled the whistle cord he observed the front portion of a motor car about 30 yards ahead, with the front wheels between the two lines. He immediately applied the air brake and made every endeavour to bring the train to a stop. The headstock struck the front portion of the car. The train stopped in about its own length. The speed of the train approaching the crossing just before the collision would be about 35 miles per hour. Corroborative evidence was given by the fireman, Robert King, who said it appeared to him that the car had stalled on the rails, as it gave a couple of jumps before it became stationary. When he first saw the car it would be about 10 yards from the line. John McLachlan, a nearby resident, who saw the train and car approaching the crossing, said in his opinion tlrere could be no blame attachable to the driver of the train. He considered the crossing to be a bad one, as the view was obstructed when approaching along Cornwall Street from the east, owing to a belt of trees on a property adjoining the railway. It was impossible for the driver of a vehicle to see along the railway line in the direction of Masterton until he was alongside the track. Government houses recently built had shut off the view of the railway track before coming to the belt of trees. Evidence was also given by Edgar George Eton, Trevor Leslie Henson and Constable W. D. Bach. Mr Eton expressed his appreciation of the help given by those connected with the accident. The engine-driver and fireman had made constant inquiries about the condition of his wife. Mr Taylor returned a verdict of accidental death. In his opinion, he said, the driver of the car failed to hear the approach of the train. Mr Taylor said the driver of the train was to be highly commended for his prompt action in bringing the train to a standstill in such a short time and in doing everything possible to avert the accident. He expressed the court’s sympathy to Mr Eton and family.