SEQUEL TO ACCIDENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 January 1925, Page 7

SEQUEL TO ACCIDENT.

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER. CASE DISMISSED. (BY TELEGRAPH —T’KESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 22. Charles Paulsen'was charged at Upper Hutt yesterday with manslaughter in connection with .the death of Dennis Sullivan, who died at the hospital as a result of being jammed between the door of a truck and the gate of a stockyard during shunting operations. The evidence was chiefly concerned with the stop signal given to the driver of the train which backed on to the truck at which deceased was working. The accused signalled the train to come on by extending an arm and waving a hand, and to stop by holding his arm extended with the hand still. Greig. driver of the engine, said lie did not see this stop signal, also that it was net tlie regulation signal, which was both arms held up, and he would not have obeyed it had be seen it. Also he did not see that the doors were open, or lie would have stopped regardless of signals. He said no driver in the district would have accepted the accused’s signals, and he had never accepted it except once, since the accident, and then under protest. Several other witnesses, including the stationmaster at Upper Hutt, however, said the accused’s stop signal was regularly used and was recognised at Upper Hutt, and Driver Greig had acted on it. A detective stated that unknown to Greig he had seen him act upon that signal. The magistrate (Mr Walker) said that Greig should have seen that the dears were open. He dismissed tliecharge against Paulsen.