REEFTON CHILD’S DEATH FOUND TO BE ACCIDENTAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 March 1947, Page 2

REEFTON CHILD’S DEATH FOUND TO BE ACCIDENTAL

(0.C.) REEFTON, This Day. The coroner, Mr AV. B. Auld, J.P., at Reefton yesterday at the inquest concerning the death of Graham >Q1 _ liam Broadley, 2i -year-old son of Mr and Mrs William Broadley, returned a verdict that the child met his death at the Reefton railway, station on March 14; “there being no eyewitnesses it is impossible to say what actually happened, but so far as the evidence shows no blame is attachable to anyone.” « . . James Broadley, railway ganger® of Reef ton, father of the child, gave evidence that he visited the station about 7.35 a.m. on March 14. He was accompanied by his small son who walked into the office of the station with him. ■ While he (witness) was talking to the clerk on duty he heard a bump, and outside he found the body of his son lying between the rails next to the platform, and under a partly-derailed railway wagon, which was then stationary. Dr J L. Wicken detailed the injuries which the child suffered and considered that death was due to shock following the severe injuries. Death, he said, would have been instantaneous. Neil B. Rawstron, lorry driver, said he was in the Reefton station yard about 7.35 a.m., on March 14, and saw a small boy toddling along the station platform. He noticed a line of some eight or 10 railway wagons moving along slowly towards the end of the yard on the main line, but he did not see the accident. He was some 50 yards away from where the child was found. Vernon Chambers, railways clerk, described the finding of the body of the child. Police Sergeant R. T. Bradley said that careful inquiries showed that no person had been negligent. COAL PRODUCTION Reefton coal mines in the week ended March 15 consigned 2139 tons of coal from the Reel'ton railway station, a slight increase on the previous week’s figures. Production has been hampered at several mines by the shortage of water. In the three weeks to March 15 6345 tons of coal have been mined in the Reefton field.