D.—7

16

wrong with her. Engineer Leydon told me she was off her beat when she went from Putaruru to Frankton with a heavy load. That was the heaviest work siie had done after the accident. From the sth to the Bth she was doing very little work. Ido not suggest she was purposely kept idle. I suppose there was no work for her to do. I did not consider the trouble I had with the engine ou the 3rd was at all serious. I did not report there was anything wrong with the engine. I onlyreported she went off her heat. If I had considered there was anything seriously wrong with her I would have made a specific report. I had only worked her one night before the accident. 1 have seen a brake-test made at a terminus. At a terminus there is usually a train-examiner, and either the guard or examiner traverses the length of the train at a terminus. The incident I related to Coroner (page 19) happened at Avondale. 1 was not present. Engineman Kearns, at Frankton, related it to me since the accident. As far as I know the Westinghouse apparatus was in good working-order on my train. 1 have never known of any case where the Westinghouse brake failed to act. I consider the Westinghouse brake if applied with a reduction of 30 lb. should have held the train, assuming the reservoirs were charged. Supposing the air in guard's van nad escaped, and the van as to air-supply had been cut off from the preceding vehicle, the gauge would be at zero. If the indicator showed a reduction from 301b. to zero in three or four minutes that would apply the brake or brakes hard. It would be effective for the length of connection along the train. The train was pulling very heavily between Ngatira and 48-mile peg.' It may have been due to the creeping-on of the brakes, due to leakage of air. When I went into the van the engines had been detached from the van. I could not say if there was a light in the van. I had my torch with me. The brake is close to the indicator. I did not look at the indicator. When I screwed on the hand-brake I did not put it on extra hard. I put it on sufficient to hold. I put it on fairly tight, but could have put it on much harder. I did not do so because, having the Westinghouse brake on, I did not think it necessary. I had full faith in the Westinghouse. I put it on as a sort of double check. I could not say at the time what thoughts passed through my mind. There is always a certain amount of resistance in putting on the brakes. There is no difference as to resistance whether train stationary or in motion. That brake was in good work-ing-order so far as I knew. It seemed to turn on easily, and there was no more than the ordinary resistance. It gets harder towards the last. When starting the screw brake it ran round easily until the blocks touched the wheel. The blocks were on the wheels by Westinghouse brake, but 1 may have made them tighter with the hand-brake. Both hand-brake and Westinghouse brake acted on the same block. In putting on the hand-brake 1 assumed the Westinghouse was hard on. I knew it was on. I felt it was on. When Taylor and I went along the side of the engine we went on right-hand side. I could not, judge how long I had an Appendix in my possession—three or four years perhaps. I have read it through. I was attracted by the portions that affected myself. If I had had a copy it may have made a difference to my conduct on the incline. Apart altogether from the introduction of the Westinghouse brake, I do not consider rule on page 67 in force. I never got notice of the repeal of that rule. If I ever read it, I had forgotten it. I had no belief about ■ the rule that night one way or the other. Since the accident I have formed the opinion that the rule is obsolete since the introduction of Westinghouse brakes. I am sure there was no failur. of Westinghouse brakes that night. I do not mean to say that the Westinghouse was acting the full length of the train. Ido not know it. Court: Taylor, Kerr, and myself made reports. We did not confer together before doing so. We had no opportunity of conferring. T had only spoken to Kerr once about the accident. That was on the Monday. I have never seen his report. We did not compare notes. I did not discuss it with Pee. We had no discussion or conference about the matter before the inquest. Mr. Bowles is a competent man as far as I know. Ido not know what his opinion is regarding the accident. Supposing there was no Westinghouse brake Tdo not think the hand-brakes we put on would have held the train. I see now it would have been much wiser to put on all the brakes. We were in a hurry to get along the line. T put my faith in the Westinghouse, and, to tell the truth, I do not, know why we put the hand-brakes on. I think something was said by one of us and I went into van and put on screw brake. Baume: After the accident we all spoke together about it. I had nothing to do,with the other men's reports. It is not always the common practice to put on the hand-brakes. We did it as an extra precaution. I could not say how many sprags are taken on a train. I have seen only one or two. Mr. Macdonald, at Rotorua, said lie regarded that rule as a dead-letter since theWestinghouse came in. lam certain my engine beat, irregularly. We stopped in consequence of that only. There was no imagination about the irregular beat. I think the fault in the yoke might possibly account for the engine being off the beat. There was n very heavy load on that night. T have snoken to Mr. Harris about the load for the T engine. T had told Mr. Harris that tin- T engine's load on this grade was about 120 tons. T did not speak to him about this night's load. If T had communicated with the guard and told him we were going to stop T know of nothing he could have done to avoid fhe accident. He might have trusted the Westinghouse the same as we did. T could not say exactly why we nut on hand-brakes. If there had been no Westinghouse the guard would have put on the hand-brakes on every vehicle. If the hand-brakes are to be put on every time there is no use in the Westinghouse. I agree that every available precaution should be taken. T had no reason to believe the Westinghouse would not hold the train on the incline. It was reasonable to.rely upon it. During the time T was on that train Tdo not know of any carelessness or negligence on the part of any one. Ido not think now that any expert will recommend additional precautions to supplement tin- Westinghouse. T think the Westinghouse will still be relisd on. T know Taylor's pump was kept working. Iff does not entail more work; on the other hand, it gives him more trouble not looking after his pttitro as the brakes are liable to drag on the wheels. Lowe could not possibly have examined his couplings, ore, after the braketest as there was not time. If he did it at all he must have done it before the test. During the