WORKERS ON RAILWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 14

WORKERS ON RAILWAYS.

GREATER PROTECTION URGED. THE NEWMARKET FATALITY. DEATH OF TWO SURFACEMEN. Every man working on the Xew Zealand railways is responsible for his own safety, according to evidence given at the inquest on the victims of the Xewmarket accident yesterday afternoon. "YVe are supposed to expect a train every minute, every day, and to lie ready to jump out of its way!" was the assertion of Edward Thomas Dore, acting ganger, who called out to the men working on the line just before they were run over. "Every man is responsible for bis own safety."

The Coroner (Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.), foiu.d that -John William Brown Harland. aged 47. and Richard George Dilworth, aged 50. surfacemen, were accidentally killed at Xewmarket on December 23 by being run over by a shunting train. "I commend to the attention of the "Railway Department the necessity of in some way giving notice to enginedrivers that men are working as surfacemen on such a shunt," he added. How the Accident Occurred. Thomas Leslie, shunter, of Mercer, told the coroner that on the afternoon of the accident lie looked out of the van of the 2.2 p.m. train for Mercer, and saw a string of wagons being shunted back towards tie triangle. Three men, close together, were working on the line, two between the rails, and one just off the track. The two between the rails were bending, and had their backs to the trucks, while the third was half turned towards them. It was evident that they did not notice the trucks approaching. Witness shouted to them, but it was too late, .lust as the trucks were upon the men, the man on the outside of the rails straightened up, and called "Look out!" Witness gave the stop signal to the driver of the shunt train, and the brakes were applied. Witness said that five of the wagons of the shunt train had passed over the men before he could give the signal. Then the train pulled up suddenly.

Frank Cassidy, signalman, said he did not notice anything unusual till the train stopped. It was travelling at about five or six miles an hour.

To Mr. Haigh (representing the relatives of the deceased Dihvoith): The train made a daily shunt to Mt. Eden, but was not on the time-table. Apart from the 200 odd trains oh the timetable at Xewmarket, there were 20 to 25 which were not.

John Dennehy, shunter on the train at the time of the accident, said he was riding on the step of the engine pushing the trucks, and the wagons in front prevented him from seeing the accident.

To Mr. Terry (representing t''e relative of the deceased Harland) : The track over which the train was shunting had an S curve. The driver had no chance of seeing the men on the line. There was no regulation to say that the shunter had to see the track clear of men working on it.

To Mr. Haigh: For three reasons he did not see the men: (1) The wagon in front; (3) the curve in the line; (3) there was a mound of ballast on the line, on the side on which he was standing.

John William Chiene Weir, fireman on the train, said a hillock on the right side of the line prevented him from seeing the men. He did not know men were working on the track. When passing the signal box the driver gave two whistles. It was not his duty to see that the line was clear.

Arth,ur Skeen, surfaceman, who was working on the line with the deceased, could tell very little about the accident. They were all working steadily, when he was struck by some object. lie remembered nothing more. He did not hear the train approaching, nor any warning call. There was a wind blowing, and the mill alongside was making a noise. It was their duty to keep a look-out for themselves. They were all supplied with time-tables, but were not advised about shunting trains. Mr. Haigh: You were surprised to find that there was no one on the end truck of this train? —I remember nothing about it, 1 heard nothing and saw nothing. To the Coroner: We all had to look out for ourselves, including the ganger. There is no signal arrangement to warn men on the line that a train is approaching. Acting Ganger's Warning. Edward Thomas Dore, acting ganger, who was about 50 yards along the line from the men, said he called out a warning, but they did not hear. He put up his hands to the driver of the shunt train, but it was too late. The Coroner: If you had your head cut off, would you say it was your own fault?—l cannot say. I take the job on, and accept the conditions. The Coroner: But you'd like the conditions improved, wouldn't you? Witness admitted that he would.

Pressed by Mr. Terry, witness said he would like some measure of protection. From the point of view of the men, shunting trains were most dangerous. They were difficult to hear. The train which ran over the deceased was irregular in its running time.

The Coroner remarked that it- was time that a warning was necessary for men working on the lines. It appeared that men could hear noihing and see nothing till the train was upon them. -There could be no doubt that the proper thing was to put a man on the end of the string of wagons. ' Mr. C. E. Fowke watched the interests of the Railway Department, Mr. Fleming was present on behalf of the fireman and engine-driver, Mr. Mason for the shunter, and Messrs. Terry and Haigh for the relatives of deceased. Sergeant Rock led the evidence.