CRASH ON CROSSING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 July 1928, Page 11

CRASH ON CROSSING

TAWHITI ROAD SMASH. f WAGGON DRIVER’S DEATH. EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of George Appleyard, farmer, of Tawhiti, shortly after the- waggon in which he had- been driving alone became involved in a collusion with the incoming express from Wellington on the Tawhiti Road crossing .shortly before six o’clock last Saturday evening, was held in the' Hawera Court this afternoon. Mr. 'R. S. Sage, J.P., actingcoroner, presided, and Messrs'. G. A. Burgess (foreman), Jas. Champion, W. H. McDonald and John Hicks comprised the jury. Seregant J. Henry conducted the inquiry. Proceedings were watched on behalf of the relatives of the deceased by Mr. G. J. Bayley. “The cause of death in my opinion was a fractured skull. The injuries were consistent with deceased having been struck by a. train,” said Dr. A. M. Young, who had carried out a medical examination of deceased at the crossing shortly after the accident. The patient was unconscious, and had sustained distinct fractures of the skull, jaw, arm and thigh. Nothing could then be done. Appleyard died a few moments after being put into the ambulance for conveyance to the hospital. Witness went with the ambulance to give attention. Death in such a short time was not unexpected, as the injuries had been regarded as fatal.

That there had been no lighfts on the waggon was the opinion given by Henry C. Lundberg, farm, (bland, employedl at Ararata, who informed the acting coroner that when the collision occurred he wais standing on the corner of Princes' Street and the G'lover Road, about 50 feet- from the railway line. Witness noticed! the waggon approaching the crossing. It was a light four-wheeled vehicle drawn by two horses, and had travelled along. Princes Street from the direction of High Street HEARD ENGINE WHISTLE.

Witness liaid heard the engine whistle on three distinct occasions' before the train readied the crossing. He thought the first whistle, which was a prolonged one, would have been soundled near the South Road crossing. The first whistle commenced when the" engine would, he thought be about 150 yards from the Tawhiti crossing and continued practically till the crossring was .reached. Tawhiti Road Smash The driver of the waggon was sitting upright in the seat and, so far as* witness could judge, there appeared nothing unusual in his conditidn. The horses were going at a slow trot and deceased did not appar to notice the approach of the train. “He just kept going'and the engine must have practically whistled in his ear.” continued witness. For some seconds before the engine reached the crossing witness could 7 see the reflection of the headlight. He thought the. driver of the waggon should also have been able to see it. The engine appeared to strike the front portion of the waggon. “There was a flash and a crash and the waggon seemed to stand on end,” said witness. Replying to the jury witness* said he did not notice any motors _or motor headlights ishining’in the direction of the crossing from’ the Tawhiti side. The clatter of the. waggon may have prevented deceased hearing the engine whistle, but it should not have done so, said witness in reply to* Mr Bayley. It was true that'a westerly wind was blowing at the time . (Proceeding.)