SAFETY OF TRAINS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 123, 20 November 1931, Page 10

SAFETY OF TRAINS

MR. STERLING'S ASSURANCE

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, 19th November.

The likelihood of a derailment such as occurred, to a goods train at Kiokio last night happening to a passenger train was discounted by the General Manager of Bailways, Mr.. H. H. Sterr ling, on his arrival from Wellington on departmental business. Mr. Sterling said that' he had not yet been informed of the cause of the derailment. An inquiry was being conducted immediately by the Railway 'Department's technical officers.

Asked if.such a derailment had any significance as to the safety of passenger trains, Mr. '.Sterling said the rolling stock concerned in the Kiokio accident was goods rolling stock of. the four-wheel type, and was radically different from passenger rolling stock. A very high degree of care was . exercised in connection 'with passenger rolling stock.' Main Trunk carriages were submitted to a most rigid examination,befofe being allowed to "depart from tne starting stations, and they were also very carefully examined at various stations en routp.

"Experience is the best tost of the Bailway Department's success in maintaining an effective standard of safe working," said Mr. Sterling, "and accidents' which have occurred through faulty working of the Department's passenger rolling stock have been nil over a long period of-years. This record speaks for itself, and should remove'any feeling that may be engendered as a result of such an accident as has occurred.at Kiokio that there is any Teal risk attached to the running of passenger trains." ,