RAILWAY PASSENGER'S SAD END

Evening Star, Issue 14495, 21 February 1911, Page 4

RAILWAY PASSENGER'S SAD END

THE PAEKAKAMKI BOULDER FATALriY. fPEu United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 21. The inquest concerning the death of Miss Alice Power, who was killed on the railway near Paekakariki yesterday, was opened today. Medical evidence was given to the effect that the deceased had a fracture of the base of the skull and of two of the ribs on the left side. Her nose was broken, also the bones of the loft cheek and upper jaw. Margaret Moran, who was deceased's companion on the journey, said that Miss Power was cheerful and in good health. Just of ter passing the tunnel witness heard a loud, violent noiae, and was suddenly thrown to the opposite side of the carriage. When witness recovered she saw Abes Power lying on her hack. There was a big stone in the carriage, which was considerably broken up. Douglas Nickless, engine-driver, stated that as the train was approaching Paekakariki he -looked back and saw a boulder bounding towards the train from the hillside. The rock was not far up the hill, probably a chain, when he first saw it. He applied the brakes, and almost at the same moment the rock struck a second class carriage whigh was about the third car from the engine. After hearing the guard's evidence the inquest was adjourned, to enable the coroner and the jury to .make a personal inspection of the scene of the accident.