AUCKLAND TRAM ACCIDENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 7873, 7 January 1904, Page 2

AUCKLAND TRAM ACCIDENT.

THE VERDICT.

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, January 6. The juty at the inquest found that the The following is the, text of the verdict : — "That Ann Xoimg Hogarth met her death on the night of December 24, 1903, on double-deck car No. 33, proceeding from Kingsland to Auckland, by a troll jy polo breaking away from the conductor, the said trolley arm becoming unmanageable and- striking ,her on the head and causing her death. That the death of Benjamin Lindsay was caused through the colliding of car No. 39 and combination car .No. 32. .That the death of William Carlcy' w&s caused through collision between cars No. 39 and 32 on the night of December 24, 1905. The jury also found th^t.the cause of the collision was through (hi ratchet brake {ailing to act, causing the 1 motbrman to lose his head, and thau through his want of knowledge he did not use other brakes under his command.'' ' . The fallowing, rider was added : — That in consequence of the steep grades in and around Auckland the use of doubhj-deckor cars ba l discohtimwl. "We also recommend that the company's method of teaching m'ol ormen: and ' conductors *is inadequate.. More - string jnt measures shp'Ud be adopted, and life guards should be attached o cars with as little delay as possible. Ye hgree that -,he ttraice power on cars is quite satisfactory when in proper o.rder and ,in the hands, of persons who understind the brakes. We also agr.e that m itormen and' conductors should be subject to medical - examinations as i© their fitness. We are also of opinion that th^e jjpe gd- on dovm grades ehonld be' re.ducqd; . ■ -, . The 1 Coroner stated that he proposed, to place me rider befbre the authority in New Zealand which represented the Board of Trade Mr District Engineer., explained that he was the Minister 'for Piljiic Works. _..^i - . .. . .;'^/,. - ill