RATANA INQUIRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 May 1938, Page 5

RATANA INQUIRY

DRIVER’S BRAKE CONTROL. [per press association.] WELLINGTON, May 2. At the railway inquiry examination. R. A. Ellis continued his evidence. He said that if a. note were in a. (ablet asking hmi to step on it. he would take it ar; an indication that train control) wanted the train nt. a particular set) at a particular time, but under no cir-j enmstances would he exceed the au-J iherised speed. He- did not think aL driver of an express was likely to get! such a note. If three short, blasts of a whistle were sounded immediately before the train in this case was derailed, witness thought the driver might have discovered all his air was missing, and he had no braking power, otherwise he could not sec what, reason the driver would have to blow the whistle. His view was that, the blasts of the whistle 1 were duo to some entanglement, of whistle*control after the engine loft; the rails. In other circumstances,; three blasts were made for the brake. The driver would want the guard to put the hand brake on in the van. I Mr. Furkett asked what the position would be if some skylarking passenger leaned down and shot off the Westing-

b.cuse brake- lap coming throimh th<*| valley? . Witness that whs n possibility• However, if a- driver used judgment, he would have brought speed down on the Rntana flat to enable him to take the curve without applying the brake. IS THE NEW ZEALAND GIRL SMART? There's always a controversy raging about the chic appearance of our New Zealand girlk. Perhaps Australians have more facilities in their large cosmopolitan cities of choosing p, wider range of fashions —hut have they? Oversea visitors praise the fine quality of our wearing apparel and the dignified smart style and cut of our clothes. B.nt what is the use of smart, stylish clothes if they adorn a. man or woman who is miserably ill, slouchy, lacking in confidence and vitality, and suffering from imaginary wrongs and irritability all through, that 'thief of happiness—lndigestion. Worry and fear produce, ill-health, and upset the normal digestive functions, • but; “Hardy’S" Indigestion and Ul•ceraled Stomach Remedy will cure all 'these mental and physical ailments. Thousands are happier to-day through | being treated the “Hardy way"—it cured them, it can cure you. Obtainable from all chemists and stores at 2/6, dad double-sized tin 3/9. —Advt.

RAIL WA Y S MAG A ZINE. James Cowan brings hack the col- ( urful life of sailors and gold-diggers of the old romantic days; of the South Island. West. Const. Ren Alexander, in clever prose, verse and drawings takes a humorous view of the past in “Backward Glances." The marvels of Orakei-Korako. the newly-dpehed spectacular' region of the Thermal Wonderland are brightly described by 0. N. Gillespie. In “Dream Places’’ Eric Bradwell merrily imagines ,a Utopia, tree. I'rbin worries about in? come tax demands, parking places for mator cars ami other bug-bears of civilisation. A. J. Walllie pleasantly tells the story of Dicky Barrett, a well-known character in the early days of Wellington. “History in an old Churchyard" by M. B. King, is concerned with the Anglican Church at Russell, Bay of Islands, which still has the lioie made by a. round shot fired from fI.M.S. “Hasard.” tfhen Hone Hoke had taken possession of the township. In "Hey Day of Railway Construction in New Zealand',” Dr. E. I‘. Neale recalls stirring dramas of lhe old provincial days and the Julius Vogel policy.