OTIRA LINE SICK CASE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1917, Page 6

OTIRA LINE SICK CASE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In last Tuesday's issue of the Gieymouth "Evening Star," a letter appeared written by Mr. Peat, in regard to the Otira tine sick case and, as I am the person mostly concerned, 1 beg to differ with Mr. Peat, as* &omeof his actual factsi are. not collect. He ia right in the first place, where he say a that Mr. Nyberg asked for the timber special and was refused. Secondly, he says that Mr. Nyberg then asked for the express to stop at 5-30, asid this was at once granted, which is nqt correct, aa it was refused, and. not till I went to Moana and explained the case to Mr. Cunlift'e (station master), who assured the traffic manager over the 'phono 'that it was not a case of trying to dodge, that my request was granted. I was also informed that the train would be about 40 minutes late. Then about 'I.'JQ or 0 p.m., Mr. Harcourt (clerk at Moana) arrived and told usi the express train would be about two hours' late, and to try and get Mrs Holley to Moana, as the train would not stop. Mrs Dense, who had sole charge of my wife, at once proposed to Mr. Harcourt to light a,-lire in the ladies' waiting room. He at once did so om his arrival back at Moana. Mr. Peat, tellsi «si that the traffic manager made the arrangement for the lire. Mr. Peat also tells us that the train was delayed indefinitely, and. that Mrs Holley would be better lying on a stretcher-on the floor at Moatna than in the station at Rum. Well, Sir, as my house is within two minutes' walk from the station and the train can be wen as soon as it passes Te Kinga, we would nob have had to wait more than a couple of minutes even if, the ';iin was delayed until 12 o'clock. I think Mrs Holley would have been better on her own bed at home than Iving on the floor on a stretcher at Moana, exposed to the general public. • In conclusion, Mr. Peat says the Department should be thanked and not blamed. Well, Sir, I wish to thank ' ! kind friends who did their best for us, especially Mrs Dense, who came from Te Kinga at a moment's 1 notice to nurse a perfect stranger. A. word of thanks is also due to Mr. funliffe. Guard McLeod, Mr. Kim Williams, and last but not least, v :<? Bishop and Dr. J. Mcßrearty. —T am etc., T. HOT-LEY. Ruru, September 58th, 1017. HY. thA Editor. ) Sir, —-Kindly allow me a small ypaoe to contradict the erroneous and misleading statements, contained m a icuer uiiuer the above headiuig which appeared in your issue of Tuesday i;uit ( .signed "iVoel Peat." The writer accuses me of supplying particulars of circumstances connected with the ;..jove case without due regard to facts and proceeds to give the other side of -to ease, as he calls it, the side which 1 will show as contrary to fact, riis explanation that the van of (he timber train Mas unsuitable for carrying a sick person, wag not the reason given by the Department when 'refusing the request te- have the patient taken by that train and, despite atny reason given, this class of van has in past years, successfully carried sick and injured persons safely to town. His statement that Mr. Nyberg's re.'st to have the 5.30 p.m. train . stopped was at once granted is, 1 am sorry to say, absolutely incorrect. Neither Mr. Nyberg nor anyone else at Rum received any such promise, and it was not until the husband of the wick woman went to Moana and made a. strong appeal to the stationmaster there that a promise was made !" have the train stopped at Rum, he

; ng at the same time informed that it would be considerably behind time. '■i promise was subsequently withdrawn, with the intimation that the train would be delayed two hours. He then goes on to insinuate that in order to catch this rain, had the reor ;:t to stop it been granted, the sufferer would have lain for an indefinite time in an exposed shelter shed, a statement that is absolutely ridiculous, as her own home is not a great maiiv yards away from the station and she could have been taken direct from her bed to the van. Wis excuse for defending the Railway Department s*eems to be a somewhat lame one, and if the numerous promises of assistance which lie says he bay; from Ministers and M.P.'s are for the benefit of the people, he should not take umbrage at our taking advantage of them. On one point I heai|il r agree with Mr. Peat, and that is= that in past years! we Have found the railway officials eager and willing to oblige us and do their best. (i 1 assit us. and I hope they can say thfv snme of us. I now feel sure that had those respotnsiible for this l un'forrnnnte incident, which we have feTt so kf>emV, been more intimate with our conditions here it would never have occurred. Thanking you in anticipa-tion.-—I am, etc., THE CORRESPONDENT.