OAMARU DEATHS Brake Lights Seen Briefly

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30682, 23 February 1965, Page 1

OAMARU DEATHS Brake Lights Seen Briefly

(New Zealand Press Association

OAMARU, February 22.

Evidence that he had seen the brake lights of a car go on momentarily and he thought the car was going to stop was given by Brian Lindsay Paton, a locomotive assistant, of Oamaru, at the inquest into the death of five students who were killed at the Alma railway crossing south of Oamaru on December 19.

Paton said the car had not stopped, and had been struck by the north-bound express. He said the train whistle had been sounded three times, the first a five-second blast about 150 yards from the crossing, the second about 50 yards from the crossing, and the third—a continuous blast before the crossing and up to the time of the impact. On this occasion the whistle cord had broken, but he could not remember when. FIVE DEATHS The inquests, before the

District Coroner (Mr C. F. Jones) were into the deaths of Peter Andrew Stanger, aged 17, a student, of Weston; Bruce John Stanger, aged 14. a student, of Weston: Bruce James Richards, aged 14. a student, of Oamaru; Ronald Stanley Knight, aged 14, a student, of Weston: and Trevor John Coffey, aged 15, a student, of Oamaru. The Coroner returned a verdict that Peter Andrew Stanger died at Alma on December 19 from multiple injuries suffered when the car he was driving was hit by the express at the Alma crossing

In the other four deaths he returned verdicts that the youths died at Alma on December 19 from multiple injuries suffered when the car in which they were passengers was hit by the express.

, Paton said he saw the car I on a road parallel to the railiway line a short distance ahead of the express. At this stage he did not know if it was going to turn left or right. The driver sounded the whistle 150 yards from the crossing and when about 50 yards from the crossing he himself sounded the whistle. When the car did not stop he sounded a continuous blast. CARRIED 250 YARDS The car was carried about 250 yards before the train was stopped. Alexander Colin McAuley, the engine-driver, said he had not seen the car until after he alighted from the engine cab.

About 50 yards from the crossing Paton had called him to stop and had sounded the whistle.

Emergency brakes were applied and the train stopped about 250 yards from the crossing. The crossing was not equipped with automatic warning devices. McAuley said that when the car pulled from a farm on to the road it was possible the express was obscured by a line of trees. John Keith Kininmont, a vegetable grower, said that on December 19 he had instructed the five boys to go in his car from Totara to his ! Oamaru home to be paid. He had asked Peter Stanger to drive and the others to go as passengers.