BOARD SET UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 73, 28 March 1938, Page 8

BOARD SET UP.

RAIL DISASTER.

AN EARLY REPORT. SIR F. FRAZER CHAIRMAN. WIDE ORDER OF REFERENCE. (r.y Tclftrrn |>li. —Special to "Star.") WKLUXCToV this day. 1 lif Minister of Railways, tin' Hon. 1). O. StiHi\un. lms set up a Hoard of 3ixlit ir v" to investigate the accident to the excursion train near liatana. on {Saturday. The board consists of the following:— Sir Francis Vernon Frazer. Frederick William Furkert. Harold L. Cole. The hoard is directed to inquire into the following: — (1) What was the cause of the derailment (-) Wits an employee in the service of the (iovernment Railways Department guilty o: any derelk'tiou of duty, or directly or indirectly a contributor to the derailment ? (.1) Generally, are there any circumstances in connection with the derailment which call for comment, particularly In respect to the rolling stock and the permanent way in the locality of the derailment? (4) What steps, if any, should be taken to prevent a recurrence of similar derailments? Sir Francis Frazer is to be chairman anil the board lias to submit its report not later than April 30. Sir Francis, as coroner, conducted the investigation into the Whangnmarino disaster and submitted a very exhaus-

tive report. He was a former President of the Arbitration Court, and has had probably unequalled experience as. chairman of investigating commissions of various kinds.

Mr. Furkert, as engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department, was very c-loisely identified with the constructional side of railways prior to his retirement, and he has also investigated harbour works and other works at the request of the Government.

Mr. Colo, an an Imperial flovcrnment officer during tho war, was in ch«rge of the repairing of locomotives on the Western Front, and in conjunction with Mr. Blair in HEM was requested l>v the Musters' Commission on New Zealand Railways, to act ns a sub-committee to report 011 certain aspects of railway organisation.