TRAM SMASH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9632, 12 June 1919, Page 5

TRAM SMASH.

CORONER'S VERDICT. ' (Per Press Association.) CHiviSTCHURCHj June 12. The enquiry concerning tho death of William bamuel iiruntoii, wiio died as a result of the tramw.ay accident at Lieathcoto Bridge on' 'tnursday, May io, was resumed at the; .(Magistrate's Court yesterday, heiore- Mr .8. 'E.'''.McCarthy, S.iU., District-Coroner. Sub-inspector Mufianey appeared On behalf of the police; i\Lr F._ \V. Johnston for Motorman Read and Conductor Bouuton; Mr J. J. Dougall tor tho Christchurch ,Tramway Board and Mr A Lucas or the widow and faihiiy of the .deceased. *!■■■■■ ■ ' ' Dr. -Arthur Bushby Pearson said that he made a poso mortem exmination of the body of deceased on May 18 at the Christchurch Hospital. The body showed no external bruises. There was considerable bleeding on the tissues of the There were also marks of bleeding on the surface of . tho -'brain. There was a fracture of the skulk on the left side extending from tho middle oi the temple bone downwards and inwards in a middle line. There was laceration of the brain on thejgont and the right side. The cause of death was hemorrhage due to laceration 'of the brain and iracturc of the skull. ..

Mr Dougail said that" the Tramway Board admitted that there were 51 persons including the deceased, who were injured in the accident. Most of the injuries were slight. . . iUr'Johnston said that'the notice of the inquest had. been rather' short. He was not gifted with second sight aiid it was impossible to ascqrtain what was in his Worship's mind. In the light, how- ! ever, of the evidence of Mr McEnnis, the district,'engineer, he should have had an opportunity to call evidence to disprove the theories of that witness, especially as he came forward apparently as .an outside witness..- <Ho was iniormed,;however, that Mr McEnnia was a Tramway Board's witness, and. was supported by that body. Air McCarthy said he was hot there to elaborate a charge of manslaughter His duty was to consider any question affecting the public which .should arise <mt of the. evidence. . It would be unnecessary for Mr Johnston to call, any further evidence. Me , : had considered the depositions and. had his' 'finding I ready. . ■ ■ -.- . ■ ...-.-.■ . < ■,-. .' I .The Cononor returned^the. .following I verdict: — ■ . ,v,.-s. ■ ■

"I find that the deceased died at the Public Hospital at . Christenurch on May 17 by reason of hemorrhage due to the laceration of the brain and .fracture of ,the skull, being;, iifjuries inflicted by*a trailer attached to the 4.10 p.m. tramcar from Sumner.. to Christchurch in which on May 15 .the deceased was travelling liaving jumped the ■■' points between' the - Heathcote Bridge and the Heatheote Arms-Hotel, whereby the said trailer became derailed and was overturned."

The following rider was added: —

(1) The evidence as to the speed at which the tramear was travelling is inconclusive, but the fact that the trailer jumped the points and after overturning was dragged on its, side for a dista-iice for about 17 feet is indicative of excessive speed.

(2) The train consisted of a motor and two trailers, each, with' an upper deck, and was controlled by a motorinan and one conductor.

(3) The tram was built to seat 130 passengers ,whereas at the time of tiie accident was carrying about 250 passengers. Ail passengers,' including stairs leading to^the upper, deck, were blocked. There were about 90 passengers on the overturned trailer, of wlioni 51, including the deceased, were injured, most of the injuries being slight. ■ (4) The conductor was in the middle vehicle'when the hindmost trailer became derailed. Had there been a conductor in the derailed car at the time oi: its derailment the death of the deceased might have been averted. As it was valuablo moments elapsed before the conductor became aware of the derailment^ and when the knowledge reached him £5o car in which ho was for the time being travelling was so overcrowded that he could not reach the buzzer and he had to rely on his whistle which the motorman did not hear.

(5) The practice of running an overcrowded tram consisting as this one did of a motor and two upperdeck trailers controlled by only one conductor, albeit it is authorised on the Sumner line by the Tramway Board Ordor-in-Council, is an extremely dangerous one. (6) That some provision should be made limiting the number of passengers which each tram can lawfully carry. . .'" "' \.