RECENT RAILWAY FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 189, 12 May 1928, Page 3

RECENT RAILWAY FATALITY

CORONER'S VERDICT. Dominion Special Service. Christchureli, May 11. An open verdict was returned at the inquest concerning the death of George Leal, of Dunedin, who was killed at Studliolme Junction ou Wednesday evening through being run over by a train. Deceased, with a companion named John Craig, Tlmaru, was walking across the rails from the Waluiate train (which had been shunted to a branch Hue), to the platform on the west side, thinking that the approaching train wns going ou the east side platform. Instead, the train switched on to the loop lino west of the platform, and deceased had no time to avoid being tun over, Craig being knocked clear. In his evidence, Craig said he knew passengers had to get out of the train when it arrived at the station, but lie, with deceased, stayed because the night was cold. The guard came through the carriages when tlie train Was on the branch line, but did not say they had no right to be there. The engine driver of the Oamarti train, Thomas O'Connell, said that at the curve the headlight would not show along tlie line whore tlie men were, but athwart it. lie was travelling from ten to twelve miles per hour. If the yards had been brilliantly lit it was possible he would havfe seen the men. . Michael Henley, guard of the Waimate train, said that there wore regulations requiring a guard to see that the train was clear before it Was shunted from the platform. Ho looked through the carriage windows for passengers, and, seeing uono. gave the “all clear” sign. He did not think the regulation required the guard to walk through the carriages to see if they were empty. The stationmaster at tho’junetlon said he interpreted the regulation to mean that the guard should see that, carriages were empty. Constable McGottigan, who was called to Hie scene of the accident, said Hie lighting of the station yards was very inefficient. The jury returned an open verdict, adding a rider that the lighting system at the junction was inadequate. Railway Traffic Inspector McGonagle said the Department had in hand the remodelling of junction yards.