FIRST ACCIDENT OF KIND

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 23 August 1935, Page 6

FIRST ACCIDENT OF KIND

Departmental Inquiry into Poro=o=Tarao Derailment DUE TO GAS ACCUMULATION ASSURANCES TO PUBLIC (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, To-day. The General Manager of Railways (Mr G. H. Macklcy) authorised by tiie Railways Board, has issued a statement in. connection with tJio Poro-o-tarao derailment. The finding of the departmental inquiry confirms the earlier conclusion that the accident was duo to a most unusual combination of unfavourable circumstances, resulting in the presence of a small, though sufficient -quantity ol carbon monoxide gas in the engine cab to overcome the men on the footplate, it was t}ie first case cf its kind associated with the New Zealand railways, nor had they any record of a similar case in other parts of the railway world. The conditions, both m relation to the accumulation of the gas and its escape from the firebox in a small, though sufficient volume to overcome the men before the atmospheric conditions or movement of the train could dispel it would, he was assured by professional men of standing, require to be absolutely perfect, and they held the view, as did departmental experts, that the likelihood of such a perfect set of maximum unfavourable conditions again developing was extremely remote indeed.

Everything reasonably practicable would be done to make the assurance doubly sure and guard against the possibility of such a set of circumstances arising in combination in future.

Mi> Mackley added that the board desired him to allay any public apprehension that might exist as a result of the recent derailments to goods waggons attached to goods trains or semi-goods trains working on running lines. He points out that trucks are four-wheeled vehicles, but carriages are carried on bogies. The annual mileage run by goods trains was. 5,972,692, and ,passenger trains 4,653,708. When it was remembered that the department- had 27,310 goods waggons running so many millions of miles a year, the incidence of mishaps was seen in the true proportion. The department had a record of achievement in regard to immunity from passenger accidents of which it was rightly proud. The conditions of the permanent way and rolling stock were never better than at the present time. The expenditure on these two items amounted last financial year to £644,396 and £923,797 respectively,