MR. RONAYNE KILLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 212, 8 September 1925, Page 9

MR. RONAYNE KILLED.

FALLS FROM AERIAL TRAM. HIS SKULL FRACTURED. FATALITY AT SEDDONVILLE. (By Telegraph.—-Press Association.) WESTPORT, Monday. A shocking accident occurred at noon to-day at Seddonville, 25 miles from Westport, in which Mr. T. Ronayne, late general manager of the New Zealand Railways, lost his life. Iu company with other directors, he was going to inspect the Clydevale mine and decided to travel by the aerial tramway tubs. When they were about halfway across it began to rain very heavily and Mr.. Ronayne attempted to cover his head with a sack. Mr. Quin, mine manager, called out to him to desist, but apparently he was not heard. The sack apparently caught the pin which releases the tub, causing it to tip and Mr. Ronayne was thrown out, falling 25 feet. He struck the ground with his head, and a fracture of the skull resulted. He was dead when picked up. An inquest was held at Seddonville this evening, when a verdict was returned that death was due to Mr. Ronayne having accidentally released a bucket in which lie was riding on an aerial tramway. This precipitated him to the ground and he died from a fractured skull.

The late Mr. Ronaynt was born in Youghal, Cork, Ireland, in 1840. He was educated at Youghal and Wakefield (Yorks) and later was employed by Smith, Knight and Company (contractors for the Wakefield-Doncaster railway) ; apprenticed to the Inclucore Works, Dublin; and' completed the study of his profession at the Atlas Works, Manchester. He arrived in New Zealand in 1875 and was appointed to the charge of the railway works at Helensville. In 1876 he was placed in charge of railways at Greymouth, and in 1886 became resident and locomotive engineer at Addington. In IS3O he organised the Greymouth-Brunncr line. In 1895 he was appointed general manager of New Zealand Railways. Mr. Ronayne represented New Zealand at the International Railway Congress in 190 C. He retired in 1914 with, the Imperial Service Order,