PROVINCIAL & COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 99, 21 January 1926, Page 4

PROVINCIAL & COUNTRY NEWS

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

ACCIDENTAL DEATH » FOUND DEAD ON RAILWAY LINE Palmerston North, January 20. An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Denis Francis Geaney, who was found dead on the railway line at Bunnythorpe, was held at Palmerston North yesterday before the Coroner, Mr. A. J. Graham, J.P. Ethel P. Heggie, a married woman, residing at Bunnythorpe, stated that at about 6 o’clock on the morning of January 15 she crossed, the railway ling to procure a paper, and upon returning she discovered deceased’s body on the line. She reported the matter to her husband.

Peter James DI Geaney, compositor, of Feilding', and brother of deceased, gave formal evidence of identification. Witness said deceased was a single wan, a labourer, aged 22. Witness last saw him alive at 6.30 p.m. on January 12, when his state of health was good. It was generally so. It was quite a habit of deceased’s to go away for several days. His habits were sober. He told his cousin he would be returning on the Thursday evening. He was rather inclined to be eccentric, and would not settle down to any permanent employment. It was not unusual for him to walk home late at night from Palmerston North. William Hudson, poultryman, of Palmerston North, deposed that on the evening of January 14 he spoke to a young man at the Terrace, End bus terminus, when he asked witness the road to’ Feilding. Witness directed him. The time was then 7.45 p.m. The man was perfectly sober. He said his brother resided at Feilding. Constable Bell gave evidence of having visited Bunnythorpe on the morning of January -15, when he removed the body to the morgue. It appeared as if the man had been struck by the cowcatcher of an engine, and that he had been facing the latter at the time. The train must have been coming from Palmerston North, and deceased therefore had his back to Feilding, Deceased had been dead some hours. In summing up, the Coroner said that it appeared from the evidence thatdeceased was a man with eccentric habits, that it was a quite common thing for him to walk from one town to another, and that hte was known to have walked on the railway line. It was quite clear that he was in Palmerston North on January 14, and when walking on the line near Bunnythorpe was struck by a train and killed. It was nqt clear as to why deceased turned round to face the train, but the Coroner hardly thought it was a case of suicide. A verdict was returned that death was due to deceased being struck by a train.

FREEZING WORKERS RESUME 4 AS RESULT OF COMPANY’S ULTIMATUM Palmerston North, January 20. The “go-slo.v” tactics at the Aoraiigi freezing works were brought to a climax yesterday, when Mr. J. G. Cobbe, chairman of directors, found it necessary ta issue an ultimatum, stating that unless satisfactory assurances were given to the management by noon to-day that the slaughtermen would resume and continue killing at a normal pace, no more stock would be offered. Failing these assurances, all the employees were to be paid off at a stated time, when the company proposed to put into operation other arrangements to deal with the slaughtering of stock. In an interview with a Dominion representative this evening, Mr. Cobbe stated that the slaughtermen had agreed unconditionally to resume work to-morrow at 8 a.m. at the normal killing rate on the former rates of pay. Mr. Cobbe added that thirty-five or thirty-six butchers would resume work, and in the course of a few days the full complement of 40 would probably be employed. He anticipated that in view of the men’s assurance of no further trouble, everything would work smoothly, and that the men would put forward their best efforts on resumption.