THE MINA FATALITY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 24 April 1913, Page 5

THE MINA FATALITY.

CHISTCHURCH, April 23. The inquest touching the death of John Popplewell, junior, porter, who was run over by a train at Mina on Saturday last, was resumed to-day before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M. The enquiry had been adjourned to enable evidence to be called as to the manner of the accident. William Henry McLenaghan, a shunter in the employ of the New Zealand Railways, said that lie had been on duty at Mina with deceased at the time of the accident. The engine went into a siding to do some shunting. The guard and witness did the shunting, in which deceased took no part at all. They finished shunting and coupled on,, and the guard went back to his van! Popplewell got Into an L waggon, and witness stepped on to the brake of the stock waggon and gave the order to pull out. The engine pulled out, and while doing so deceased got out of the waggon and stood on the brake, and losing his balance, fell between the trucks and two stock waggons passed over him. It was one of those unfortunate accidents that might happen to any experienced shunter. Sergeant Jackson said that the stationmaster at Mina had made a statement to the effect that the deceased was never instructed to do any shunting. Mr Bishop said that the first point was whether a lad of 17 years, unexperienced, and only five months in the service, would be instructed to carry out such duties . "We have cleared that up," he said. A verdict of accidental death was returned.