"WISE AND PROMPT"

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 121, 18 November 1936, Page 12

"WISE AND PROMPT"

FARMER PRAISED

ATTEMPT TO STOP EXPRESS

MAIN TRUNK MISHAP

"1 must commend you for your quickthinking and presence of mind, and for your sensible and prompt attempt to stop the express—most people would just hnve stood and stared. It. is a groat pity you were just a few seconds too late."

In these words, at the conclusion today of the adjourned inquest into the death of Arthur Frederick Bush, the Coroner, Mr. E. GiJbcrtson, praised the efforts of William HowelJ, farmer, of Paraparaumu, to stop the express in which Mr. Bush was a passenger.

The Coroner found that Mr. Bush died at Wellington Hospital on September 5, from hypostatic pneumonia, heart failure, and shock, following an accident to the Main Trunk express, when it struck a slip near Paraparaumu at daybreak on August 30.

The only eye-witness account of the mishap was given by Mr. Howell, who in evidence today stated that he was running to the signal-box to cut the signal wire with an axe, and was only fifty yards ay/ay from the box when the express rushed past, the driver then being oblivious of the fact that the line ahead was blocked by a slip. Even then, if the driver had seen him waving frantically, the mishap would have been averted.

Senior-Sergeant J. Dempsey appeared for the police.

William Howell said in evidence that his farm was situate near the railway station at Paraparaumu. At about 6.25 a.m. on the morning of August 30, when'he was'bringing in his cows for milking, he noticed a yellowish splash on the hillside just above the railway line about a quarter of a mile away. He immediately thought that a slip had fallen, but he could not see whether it was across the line. Realising that the Auckland express was due, he dashed towards the signal-box about a quarter of a mile away. The signal arm was then, pointing downwards—"All clear"—and he knew that there would be no one on duty at the station. He intended to cut the wire; of the signal arm with an axe snatched from the cowshed directly in line with the signal-box, and so let the signal up into the "danger" position. "I was only fifty yards from the box when I heard the whistle of the oncoming express. I was running hard at the time. The express appeared from the station. The engine-driver could not see me until the train got out of the station—the buildings obscured his view. I waved my arms and also pointed in the direction of the slip. The driver was looking in my direction, but did not appear to see me." Once the engine-driver, unwarned, had passed me, a collision with the slip could "not possibly have been avoided. The slip was not visible from that part of the line, because of the bend and the difference in levels. I saw the engine'hit the slip. The engine was derailed, and within seconds was completely obscured by a cloud of steam. I climbed up on to it in my gumboots, looking for the driver and fireman." Senior-Sergeant Dempsey: You assisted in rescue work?

Witness: Yes. Senior-Sergeant Dempsey: And got very wet, rheumatic fever following immediately afterwards.

Witness: .Yes. In answer to a question by, ■ the Coroner, the witness said that he was still under the doctor. "Your action was very wise, sensible and prompt," the Coroner said, in conclusion. "I must commend you for it."