KILLED BY A TRAM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 214, 6 September 1912, Page 2

KILLED BY A TRAM.

AN OLD HAN RTTN OTTER. VERDICT OF HEATH FROM MBSADV'.E.NTUKE. An inquiry into the circumstances cceonected with the death, of Owen Carroll, 74 years of age, who Was killed through being run over by a tram at Tarkapunia on Wednesday, was held at Takapuna ■before Mi. Thomas Gresham, Coroner, and a. jury of six to-day. Sergeant Baskerville watched proceedings on behalf of the police Angus Dickens Jones, who identified deceased, stated that Carroll, who waa unmarried, was of very intemperate habits, and had been picked up on the tramline previously. His eyesight at nighttime was very bad, and his hearing was only fairly good. James Frederick Jones gave evidence that on Wednesday night he was a passenger on the 11.18 o'clock tram from Baysv.ater. In the vicinity of Shakespeare Road the tram was suddenly brought to a standstill. Witness alighted and «aw Carroll's body lying terribly mutilated under the engine. The whistle was sounded just as the engine turned the corner prior to the accident. The tram was travelling about 12 miles an hour. The driver of the engine, Francis Ivan Cross, .said that he had sometimes seen Carroll on the tram tlie worse for liquor. On tlie night of the accident, which was very wet and dark, the two headlights of tho engine were in perfect condition. .Anyone looking toward* the engine could have seen the ■ engine over half a mile away. By the aid of the lights witness could see objects about 150 or 200 yards in front of the engine. Witness suddenly haw the figure of a man apparently rising from the roadway on the left hand side of the engine. He applied the emergency air-brakes immediately and closed off the steam. Along that portion of the lino witness was always on the alert for cattle, which very frequently strayed fTiV-ro. He could have done nothing further than he did to avert the fatality. The engine skidded on the greasy line for about 30 yards after Carroll was struck. To Mr T. R. Sneddon (representing the Public Works Department): There waa no lite-guard on the engine at the time. It Mas under repair, having been broken by 'cattle. In reply to a question by the foreman, witness stated he had .previously assisted to remove Carrol] off the line" when he was under the influence of liquor. . The conductor of the tram, William Horatio Barton, stated that deceased was a. passenger by the 10.30 p.m. tram from Rayswater. He appeared to be sober, although he had evidently bad a few drinks. He alighted at Milford Road, and that was the last witness caw of him. In his hand he carried a parcel which looked as though it contained bottles of beer. _JYLliam Henry Taylor, manager of the Takapuna Tramways Company, in reply to a question- by Mr. - Snedden, stated that the lifeguard was taken off the engine for repairs the morning of the day of the accident. It had been broken through cattle wandering on to the line. The man who wag driving. I;he <}ngine, on that shift had removed At. was not aware of that fact -until the fatality occurred. One night about four months before' witness had helped to remove Carroll, who was intoxicated, from the track, and jam. the next trip had done the same thing. On the second occasion witness played the Westinghouse brake on him to bring him to his senses. Even had the lifeguard been in position, it could not hare saved Carroll's life. The engine-driver, recalled, said that even had £he lifeguard been there the impact would certainly have killed Carroll. Constable Steere gave evidence as to the Dilation of deceased when the body was extricated from under the engine, ihe body was decapitated. The Coroner, in summing up, said that the evidence proved that the enginedriver v.-as in no way whatever to blame lor the accident. In signing the voucher for the payment of the statutory fee of 20/ to the publican to whose premises the body was conveyed, the Coroner remarked that the fee was only 1/ less than the fee of £1 1/ received by the Coroner, and was five times as much as was paid to the jurymen. riie position is almost Gilbertian," added Mr. Gresham. The jury returned a verdict that deceased had met his death through misadventure, no blame being attachable to the cngmedriver or conductor, who did all they possibly could to avert any accident.- The folkwin-j rider *v added:-"That the Takapuna Tram-.r0.-ve Company are deserving of censure for not seeing that the engine was fitted ■With a proper lifeguard, and it is the opinion of the jury that the lifeguards in use are faulty in construction, also that all gorse along the tramline should oe at once removed."