FINAL STAGES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1923, Page 13

FINAL STAGES

ONGARUE DISASTER INQUIRY

COMMISSION ADJOURNS TO CON-

SIDER EVIDENCE

The hearing of evidence in connection -with the railway disaster at Ongarue on 6th July was concluded yesterday afternoon, when the board, consisting of Mr. W. G. Biddell, S,M.', and Messrs. J. Marchbanks and J. Pi Maxwell, adjourned to consider . the evidence and return their finding.

Mr. Sterling submitted that the train had been properly inspected and found in good order, and that there was no negligence. The speed approaching the scene of the accident was. not up to the maximum allowed, and was probably between 20 and 30 miles an hour. It could not have been more than 30 miles an hour. He submitted that the enginedriver could not have avoided the slip under any conditions. '■ Having regard to the country, he submitted that the line was placed in the best possible position. As to inspection, counsel contended that the ganger had done the utmost possible. He passed the scene of the accident four times that day. There were no indications of any danger at the spot where the accident occurred. The vegetation covering the face would make it still harder to discover any danger. The testimony of the ganger had been given with the utmost frankness and candour and, he submitted, bor e the stamp of truth. The ganger had the deepest sense of responsibility for the condition of his length of line. Counsel submitted further that there was no evidence of negligence on the part of the inspectors or the district engineer. There was adequate oversight of the track, he contended. .

Finally, counsel dealt with the presence of boulders in the face of the bank, and the question whether they should not have been removed, the instruction ware that all' boulders showing signs of becoming dangerous should be removed The conclusion was that the boulders were not visible before the face became overgrown with vegetation. ■ No dereliction, he submitted, could be imputed to officers .of the Department before the accident. >■„.■■■

As to what happened, after the accident, counsel submitted, that the one outstanding feature of the disaster was the devotion to duty of every officer of the Department immediately the circumstances became known. The guard acted with judgment throughout. Mr Riddell: "The members of"the Bo£|i of Inquiry are perfectly satisfied that every officer did all that couia be done under the circumstances to assist after the accident took place. We do not think it necessary for you to elaborate that part of the occurrence. I suggest you might devote some attention to the equipment on the train to meet such an accident." • :

Mr. Sterling thanked the board for its expression of opinion in regard to the officers of the Department. He submitted that.the delays ir. Taumarunui to thei .uninjured passengers : ,in proceeding southward were unavoidable. The inconvenience to them was insignificant beside the problems which-faced the railway officers at Taumarunui. The complaint was ungenerous.' At, this stage the inquiry was adjourned until the afternoon.

Continuing his address in the afters' Mn Steriing said there were .311,000 cuttings ir New Zealand on the railway construction, and telephones at them or other warning devices, such as wires connected to bells, could barely be considered of any use. Some of the suggested devices had been tried in New Zealand or other countries and had been proved of little value. Referring to the suggestion that the size of trains should be limited he stated that this was a very difficult matter. The public could buy their tickets several days ahead, and they wanted the right to travel by the trains they saw fit. The Department could not limit the trains and then say to passengers that they could not travel as there was no accommodation. As- it was each train was limited to twenty vehicles, and this was considered quite safe. The drivers would have been the ones to complain if there was anything unsafe, and there had not been one complaint. As time had gone on there had 'been evolved a powerful engine which gave better service and was more economical. The Department could not afford to run these engines about the country carrying half loads, and they saw no reason why two trains should be run where one would.suffice. He submitted that the equipment! on both the engine and guards van was quite sufficient lto<cope with the preliminary demands in an accident until relief arrived. With the very small number of accidents that occurred there was no reason why extra space should be allotted to carrying anl extensive supply of implements.' The matter of the telescoping of cms had been considered ere this by the Department, but the cars on the lines here had been built to Buit the conditions, though they might be strengthened. Steel cats would mean an extra 40 per cent. of. weight, and the board and everyone else would realise what this would meaa on lines like our* own. It had been suggested that the postal van had not telescoped because it'was closed, at the ends, but the Department's view was that it had not done so because of the position it got into. In the 1918 accident two postal vans, as well as two carriages, were telescoped. In his concluding remarks he stated that the people demanded night trains and the Department had to meet their wishes. Electric lighting equipment for engines and carriages was expected at any time now for this line.

Before adjourning, the chairman of the Commission stated that the Commission wished to place on record its appreciation of the assistance given by Mr. Sterling, and the manner in which he had handled the witnesses, also for the very comprehensive review of the whole of the evidence that he had prepared. The Commission desired tlso to thank all the witnesses who came forward, and those who made suggestions for improvements. The one thine that had struck the members had been that throughout there was an entire lack of any suggestion of attaching blame, the wnole terrible affair being retarded as purely accidental. ■ uaß The Commission adjourned and will