KILLED ON LEVEL CROSSING

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22193, 9 September 1937, Page 4

KILLED ON LEVEL CROSSING

Templeton Farmer's Death

CORONER'S VERDICT AT INQUEST

I A collision between a motor-car and the south express at Templeton on the I morning of August 4 was described by witnesses at an inquest, yesterday, into the death of Frederick William Fine, farmer, aged 54, of Templeton. A verdict was returned that Fine died of ! injuries he received when his car ran in front of and collided with the train on the Church road crossing. A rider was added, stating that there was no evidence of any act or omission on the part of any official of the Railway Department which might in any way have contributed to the accident. The inquest was conducted before MrE C Levvey, S.M., Coroner SerSllSrFTglTth^w^owlFK aI Dr Edwlrd Frederick Thompson, assist Pathologist at the Christchurch P?bl"c Hospital, gave evidence of a post-mortem examination. He saw that death was due to laceration of the brain fracture of the skull, and other in Mary S 'Ellen Fine, widow of Fine, said' her husband had left home to go to his other farm, about a mile and a half the other side of Templeton. He was in good health, and his hearing and eyesight were good. Charles Arthur Hornsby, a porter at the Templeton station, said he heard the engine of the 8.35 a.m. express blow its whistle and saw Fine's car collide with it. He went to the scene and found Fine lying on the south side of the cattle stop. The train stopped in about twice its length. To Mr Brown, witness said there was a "coripulsory stop" sign at the crossing and some way back were an Automobile Association sign and a St. Andrew's cross signal. There was a clear view of the railway for some distance Arthur Henry Bartlett. driver on the first of the two engines of the express,, said that about 100 yards before the | crossing the fireman with him called to him to stop. He applied the emergency brake immediately. The motorcar then came into his view and was thrown on to the cattle stop. Witness found the driver beyond aid. He estimated the speed of the engine at 45 miles an hour. To Mr Lascelles, he said he could not account for the motorist's failure to see the express. The whistle could be heard for a long distance. Gordon Eric Fraser. fireman on the same engine, said he saw the car travelling parallel with the railway. When he noticed it turn to cross the line in the path of the engine he called to the engine-driver to stop. The motor-cnr was travelling about 10 miles an hour. Corroborative evidence was heard.