HYDE RAILWAY ACCIDENT

Grey River Argus, 22 October 1943, Page 6

HYDE RAILWAY ACCIDENT

TRIAL OF DRIVER. DUNEDIN. Oct. 21. The trial on a' charge of manslaughter in connection with the Hyde railway accident was continued at the Supreme Court, to-day, of John Alphonsus Corcoran. Stanley George Hollow, fireman of the engine stated he was quite clear that he had two drinks at Ranfurly Hotel in company with Corcoran and Pratt. The bottle of beer from which drink wa's taken on the engine was opened about three minutes from Waipiata. Witness was out of his seat about a minute consuming it. Witness was sure the bottle was opened by the driver while on the engine, in spite of the fact that he had asked the driver a month later in hospital whether he had opened the bottle. Witness said his memory had not been too good since the smash and he had forgotten the episode of opening the bottle on his first police interview.