RE MATAROA RAILWAY FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 43, 15 November 1918, Page 8

RE MATAROA RAILWAY FATALITY

Sir —I was much amused to read the statement made by the Government in the Houao of-Representatives as to the above railway mishap. It was stated that the mishap was the result of a pure accident If the word "pure" was intended to/mean "un .voidable, then the facts of the eass do not warrant such an assertion '• ■ ■ ■ ■ • i. ; . I was a passenger on the tram in question, which left Frankton Junction about twi-nty minutes late. Another twenty minutes or ep was lost at laumarunui while we were waiting lor a; second engine .to get un steam, as owing to the heavy rain which was then tailing it was considered unlikely that one ■engine wouk , be able to take us up_the ■lteurinr-i Incline. From Waiouru to lai. hape then- is practically a continuous downhill run. ]t was broad daylight at the time, being about twenty minutes past six in the morning. I was seated in about the middle ; of the train, and was looking out of the window, , but did not liea-.-Ghe slightest sound of a fnlliiip■■slip prior to the collision. We were., travelling about.'forty, miles an hour at the .... Imme'liately. after the stoppage of the train I got out and inspected the cause of the accident; It was absolutely, obvious to anyone that the engine had run into tlu slip, for two reasons amongst others-firstly, the . Westing-house brake was not applied prior to the train coming to a standstill. Secondly, the enstine hnd driven practically-'its whole length into the soft mud, a.ml had made a clean, clear cut into; the'wall'of the slip. On the far side of the engine from the sup there was exactly the same amount and. height itf'imid as on the near side. Jjo person in hiu senses would allege that this niu.! could have.been in that position if ft had not'been there before the arrival ot the train. The parts of the engine'not enclosed in. the mud werc-quita clean, which, of course, could not be so if the sliji had come over the engine. I would not have troubled to have written this letter about the accident were ic not for the fact , that it was rumoured-amongst .the. passengers that the engine-driver had been on duty tor twelve : hours, and I think, in the. interests of the! public at large, as well as for the satisfaction of the victims of-the accideni,' that the truth or otherwise of this rumour sliould.be definitely sealed on the floor of the House. The slip was about ICO yards from the nearest bend in the line. So the driver would;have had this distance'in which to 'nave pulled up the train. If the driver had been on duty for twelve hours, then! think the blame for not .having seen the. slip in time W not the fault of the driver, but of 'th'e "Railway ■Department, who had keo; a man engaged in responsible and arduous position inr so mr.ny hours. ■ The fireman stated immediatelv after the accident that he-was shovelling in coal at "the time, and when he looked up again lie noticed thai they were rteht'on slip. A goodjTraih had traversed the same track-about two'hours previously, und I understand the line is very thoroughly patrolled' by vigilance' gangs, but on such h dangerous piece; of'line, afier a vevy heavy rain, a, vigilance-gang/is no protection whatever, as 'on thai- slippery papa rock country a slip may come down at any time. Owinfr to the , pace ax which we were travelling on a downhill grade, .perfect marvel that the casualties-were not'very'much greater, and the Railway Department can consider themselves-lucky, that the 1 train was only about' onc-ihird full, and that the tmlfe of the passenger carriages hnd tht- 'buffer oF a liiortunry vnn, ninl a mail van packed with a huge Er.pedition•ctry' mail. Fortunately, to the driver not ="°i"* the slip D"ov to stopiii.ee. Hie. WRstinnliouse. brake wr.s rot anpli'etl n.t the kst moment, nt.he'-wise thf "/hole of the oenlre of tho train would have bee-.^^^^.^^^ Stratford, XovynbpJ '.11.