ACCIDENT TO GOODS TRAIN AT PAPAKURA.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1518, 28 March 1882, Page 2

ACCIDENT TO GOODS TRAIN AT PAPAKURA.

Otf Saturday the goods train, which leaves Auckland at 6.30 for Hamilton, consisting of three waggons and guard's van, met with what might have been under other circumstances a very serious accident, when about half a mile on the south side of the Papakura station. On this s»de of the station there is rather a steep decline, and near the bottom of it is a swamp ; about half a mile down the decline there were three head of cattle on the line, one of which instead of running off the line undertook to race the train, and before anything could be done to stop, the beast was knocked down, and the train passed right over it, cutting the beast to pieces. For a distance of about 30 yards it was distributed in fragments, on and alongside the line, pieces of bone, windpipe, skin, &c, being strown about promiscuously. The three trucks and guard's van were thrown off the rails, and for a distance of 1 50 yards were dragged along, the wheels on one side bumping along on the sleepers, cutting into them about an inch, and the other wheels tearing up the ballast between the rails. Fortunately the line at this particular part is almost perfectly straight, for had it been at one of the curves, with which the line abounds, it must have been a more serious mishap, and might very probably have resulted in a fatal manner to those in charge. The passenger train arrived at Papakura and learning that a mishap had occurred, the engine at once proceeded to the scene of the accident to render assistance, and after about three-quarters of an hour's delay, the trucks and van were replaced on the line, and the goods train shunted into the Papakura siding, thus allowing the passenger train to proceed. The passenger train was then delayed an hour and 20 minutes at Mercer, as the authorities did not expect the line would be cleared so soon, and arranged that the up and down trains should pass at Mercer instead of Rangiriri. There can be no second opinion on the culpable neglect of the Government in delaying the work of fencing the line. That eventually it must be fenced is admitted on all hands, and, before a fatal accident happens, it had better be done, for looking at the damages awarded against railway companies for injuries sustained, if an accident were to happen, it might take as much to pay awards for damages as it would cost to fence in a great part of the line. Presumably, the Government will consider it has done its duty by holding an enquiry and, probably, if there is a black mark against the driver, or it has a favorite waiting for a billet, it will avail itself of the opportunity to dismiss or degrade the driver. But, under present circumstances, the drivers cannot be held blameable at all, for, if in using precautions to prevent accidents they are behind time, they are called on to account for it, and no doubt, if their excuse was that they were stock-driving along the line, it would be considered sufficient cause for a change ; so that there is no way out of the difficulty but to fence the line in, and do away with the possibility of accidents from this cause, for the cattle along the line, whether from observance of the old motto, "familiarity breeds contempt, " or out of derision to the rate of speed generally maintained, invariably undertake to keep ahead of the train, and persist in keeping on the line. Sometimes they may not be in such good trim for running, and at such times the train has to pull up and some one get out and pelt them off, or as was the case last Saturday the train is going down the hill and then, having the advantage over the beast, the result is the latter is run over, It is certainly very hard that settlers along the line, whose lands in a great many instances were taken from them whether they liked it or not, and the line run through, should be > subject to these losses, through no fault* of theirs, without any means of redress, but their losses are insignificant when put beside the possibility of a human life being sacrificed. (A Correspondent.)