WAIHI TRAIN FATALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 148, 23 June 1923, Page 11

WAIHI TRAIN FATALITY.

m INQUEST AND VERDICT. (By Telegrapn.—Own Corresponflent.) WAIHI, Friday. A coroner's" inquiry (formally opened last month) touching the death of Henry Berridge, of Auckland, who was struck on the head by the Waihi-Paeroa express on May 23, and subsequently succumbed to injuries in the Waihi Hospital, was resumed in the Courthouse this afternoon before the district coroner (Mr. \V. M. Wallnutt). Senior-Sergeant O'Grady appeared for the police, Mr. R. H. J. Moore (traffic inspector) for the Railway Department, Mr. J. B. Zeechc (Mr. E. W. Porritt) for the relatives of deceased, and Mr. R. Joughin for the owner of Owharoa qviarry. Mr. M. Paul, mining inspector, was present as inspector of quarries. The evidence showed that deceased was employed by Mr. R. Joughin as engineer. Just previous to the accident deceased was seen standing near the main line and between it and a loop line, looking up towards the crusher. Apparently he did not hear or see the approaching train. Robert Joughin said the train whistle was eo-unded only occasionally on approaching his siding. Recently a special train rushed past without warning, and had he jumped from a truck upon which he was standing he would have been killed. Special trains never sounded the whistle when passing a siding. G. Brooks, driver of the Waihi-Paeroa train, said he saw deceased standing close to the main line looking up towards the crusher. Witness immediately applied the emergency brakes. He could not say definitely whether he sounded the whistle, but most probably he did so as a mechanical act. Evidence wae given by the fireman (Mr. Bridge), the guard (Mr. Thompson), and Mr. Copestake (a passenger), that the driver sounded the whistle when approaching the siding. The coroner returned the following verdict: "That deceased,' Henry Berridge, died at the Waihi Hospital on May 22, 1023, as the result of injuries accidentally received by being struck by the Waihi-Paeroa train on the same date. The evidence shows that the train whistle was eounded when the train was approaching the siding according to regulations. I would recommend that, owing to the noise made by the crusher at Joughin's aiding, and with a view to preventing a recurrence of a similar fatality, that drivers of all trains be instructed to take special precautions in sounding the whistle, etc., when approaching this particular eiding."