RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 63, 15 March 1915, Page 6

RAILWAY APPEAL BOARD.

THE AVONDALE ACCIDENT. A sitting of the North Island Railway Appeal Board was held to-day in the Magistrate's Court buildings. The Court consisted of Mr. W. R. Haselden, S.M. (chairman), Mr. A. AY. Hutchings (Ist Division), and Mr. A. Whisker (2nd Division). The appeal was by Andrew Victor Johnson, against being reduced from driver to fireir»\n for six months, and by Morgan Jarrett, against being reduced from fireman to cleaner for six months. Mr. *». Kennedy appeared for the appellants, and Mr. J. Maedonald for the Railwar Department.

Th. appeal was in connection with the disrating of the appellants on account of an incident at Avondale railway station on the 16th of September, when a train was alleged to have passed the signal for danger, and there was a risk of a collision, which was fortunately averted. The trains in question were 3(1, from Helensville, and 43, from Auckland.

Charles James Moon, stationmaster. stated h had never known the signal to act contrary to the position shown by the lever. He was satisfied the signal was showing properly. He examined the electrical indicator when he pressed the button, and it showed danger. He was satisfied by that the signal was showing danger. Afterwards he looked at the hevers and examined the wires, and found they were in order. He knew then that the driver of 36 asserted that the signal was clear. There were no persons working on or about.the line near to the wires.

By Mr. Kennedy: He had never known a piece of stone iv the pipe to jam the wire, and cause the semaphore arm not to work. It would be possible for someone to pull the wires and interfere with the signals without witness seeing. There were one or two boys on the platform that morning, but they were connected with the post office. Previously while at Avondale, he had found it necessary to adjust the wires of tlie signals when they did not show what he wished." There were maintenance men working at his station at the date of the accident. They were on the inner side of the platform. He was not prepared to swear that none of these men went to the other side on that morning. He did not see them working on the outer side of the platform on that morning. If a sleeper happened to be thrown across a wire, and he pulled the wire at the lever, it might or might not jam.

By Mr. Macdonald: The signal was working properly half an hour previously, so that if anything had happened to the wires, it must have been within that half hour. He did not see any workmen about within that half hour. The signals required adjustment owing to the contraction of the wires due to temperature.

T. A. Foweraker. Traffic Inspector, deposed to having examined the signalling apparatus iv company with the statiomnaster. Everything was all right There was nothing lying on or near the wires.

Frederick Ernest James Dewdle stated No. 43 was yards from the station when he replaced the signal at danger. When No. 43 left Mt. Albert, witness lowered the signal before he unlocked the points at the cross-over.

Robert Carroll, engine driver, said he had been Tunning on the Auckland-Hen-derson line for some time. He Jiad noticed two distinct irregularities in signalling at Avondale station. He had known the signal to be lowered at one end of the station when the train was being flagged at the other end. He knew on one occasion the signal was clear when it should have been at danger, owing to part of the apparatus being broken.

Andrew V. Johnson, driver of Xo. 36, stated the signal was at "clear*' when he passed it. Seeing another train on the line he brought his train to a stand. Mr. Moon came along, and asked him (witness) why he had passed the signal at danger. Witness told him the signal was at "clear." Witness said lie was extra careful watching the signals at Avondale, as the 16th of September was a race day. Witness had been fireman and driver on that line about twenty years, bat not continuously.

By Mr. Ma cd on aid: The signal could be seen about three-quarters of a. mile away. The signal was at "danger" when he first saw it. Then it was altered to "clear." He did not blow his whistle as he came to a stop, to show he had been admitted to the station, and that there was another train on the line.

At tbe luncheon adjournment the chairman intimated that it would be desirable to visit the station.