THE STYX TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1360, 10 February 1912, Page 5

THE STYX TRAGEDY.

fr AND OUR RAILWAY CROSSINGS. IDy Tclccrapli i-r,-, B Association.) Christchurch, February 9. An inquest touching the death of the victims of the Styx railway crossing accident—Marshall Brown and Peter Frnns. den—was held by the coroner (Mr. 11 W Bishop, S.M.), to-day. Robert I'ringle, railway engine-driver, said that lie was in charge of (lie midday train from Clirislchurrh to Rungioro on Wednesday. Three hundred yards from the crossing witness blew' tho whistle, and then again fifty yards from the crossing. The last whistle was in answer (0 (ho xlatinninustcr's signals. Immediately before the engine entered (lie crossing, die fireman' sang out: "Look out." Witness at once applied the brake, and the next thing that, he sawwas the motor-ear and cow-catcher meetins. Other evidence was given as (0 (ho fcpeed of (he ear when approaching the crossing, and the collision and smash up of (he car, and the death of tho occupants. Tho coroner said that it was quite clear that it was one of "those unfortunate accidents." Whatever speed might be proved did not alter the fact that there had been a calamity, He had himself been over tho crossing scores of times, and it was a dangerous one. All crossings wcro dangerous. In reply to an interjection from Mr. Stringer, who appeared for the Railway Department, the coroner said that ho knew that the Railway Department had a statutory right with regard to crossings, and cars should pull up when approaching them, "but we all tabs risks," said he. Mr. Stringer said that ho wished to point out a fact which the public generally and probably even ■ the Automobile Association did not know. It was that the Public Works Amendment Act of IPII threw upon the local authority (lit duty of seeing that fences, hedges, etc., of tho nature" in question were removed. The coroner returned a verdict that the deceased met their deaths by accidentally colliding with a train when (ravelling in their motor-car from Rangiora to Chris-t----clnirch.