INQUESTS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24226, 6 April 1944, Page 3

INQUESTS

— « — ' DEATH OF SURFACEMAN "Is no one stationed there to give you warning when a train is approaching?” asked the Coroner, Mr E. C. Levvey, of a witness who was giving evidence at an inquest held yesterday into the cause of death of a railway surfaceman, Sydney Albert Pluck, who died in the Christchurch Hospital on March 15. Witness said no look-out was appointed. The members Of the gang of which Pluck had been foreman, were supposed to keep a proper look-out. Usually the shunters gave due warning, but when Pluck was knocked over by the train the engine pushing the rake of vehicles was 100 yards away from the head of the r3 The Coroner found that Pluck died from shock on March 15, resulting from general injuries received when in the course of his employment by the New Zealand Government Railways as surfaceman he was struck down and run over by a rake of railway vehicles during shunting operations. “It speaks volumes for the celerity of these men in getting out of the way and avoiding accidents,” said the Coroner, “but there should be some assistance in the way of a warning. > The cause of the death of Malcolm Victor Preston, aged four and a half years, who died on March 10, was found to be loss of blood due to a cut associated with a condition of haemophilia. James Henderson, aged 54 years, died at Christchurch on February 16, the cause of death being heart failure.