HAWERA CITIZEN’S DEATH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 July 1925, Page 6

HAWERA CITIZEN’S DEATH.

AN INQUEST HELD. ACCI DENT A L DEATH. Before the coroner, Air J. S. Barton, S.M., axi inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death ot Frederick William Sceven s was held at Hawera to-day. Air P. O’Dea appeared for the widow, and Air. J 1 use for the -Railway Department. Sergeant Henry, for the police, recounted the circumstances as already reported. Dr. Thomson said that when lie examined tiie body he found a large scalp wound, but there was no apparent- fracture c.f the skull. He judged, however, that death had been instantaneous and due to concussion. , 111 reply to Mr O’Dea, who stated that deceased suffered from a weak heart, Dr. Thomson said it was quite possible that death may have occurred before deceased tel,! off the train. Air O’Dea said that deceased had been suffering from an attack of influenza, and Dr. Thomson agreed that such an ailment had a serious effect on the heart. The small amount of bleeding was remarkable, and together with the fact that deceased had evidently fa 1 lon straight out on his head, was consistent with death before falling. P. A. Burrell, a carpenter, of Stratford, tvho had been a passenger on the train, said he saw deceased on the Pa tea station. Deceased was then quite normal. He had seen the guard talking to deceased on the carriage platform. Near where the body was 'ater found there was a sharp, bend in the line round which a train might swing with enough speed to throw a man off a carriage platform. Guard T. C. Sloan said it was on the Pater side of the carriage platform that he first spoke to deceased. He invited deceased to go into, the carriage. but deceased replied that he quite all right where he was. Witness subsequently left to get change, deceased having tendered him a £1 note in payment for his fare of 2s Bd. As witness left he noticed deceased change his position on the platform. l ln about four minutes witness returned with the change. Deceased was missing, and a search of the train failed to locate him. Burred, the previous witness, told the guard Sloan that; the man tvho had been on the platform was Stevens. The train was stopped at Alanutalii, and the porter there told that the last seen of deceased-was on the left-hand side of the carriage p’atform. Tho safety gates on the .carriage platform had 'been closed, (deceased leaning against on© and witness having his foot against the other. Witness said that deceased had not appeared to him to be ill or requiring special attention in any way. t Iji reply to- Air O’Dea, witness said it was quite possible that deceased had been hanging on to the safety gate, and that the swing of the train round a bend had caused deceased’s weight to pull the gate open. Witness said that when he returned with the change all the gates were closed. Air O’Dea said that that seemed (to indicate t-liat the gate had swung op«n and then closed again. Guard D. Afyers, tvho had beep in charge of the slow train following tie mail, said that before leaving Pa tea 1© received instructions to search, the lef;hand side of the track between Paten and Pnriroa. Pa for a passenger who had fallen off the mail train. Witness rode on the engine, and the speed o' the train was reduced to a walk inf Dace. The body was found in a vfatertnble about 100 yards o n the Hawera side of the Pariiv.a Pa station. Witness said there had been no sign of the body having moved after it had fallen. The coroner’s finding was that deceased met hi.- death near Pariroa Pa on .Toly 6 as the result of liis accidental!'- falling 'off .’the New Plymouth 'railway express.