THE WHANGAMARINO RAILWAY DISASTER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9895, 10 September 1914, Page 3

THE WHANGAMARINO RAILWAY DISASTER

TABLET PORTER ACQUITTED OF

MANSLAUGHTER

(P«li PfiWW ABSOCUTiOK.)

AUCKLAND, Sept. 8. As a sequel to the Whangamarino railway disaster on May 27th, when three pafvsongors in the Main Trunk train were killed and sevvral injured in a collision with a goods train, Wm. Donaldson, tablet porter on duty ar. Whangamarino station at the time of the accident, was placed on trial at the Supreme Court to-day on a charge of manslaughter. In summing up. J ml;reCooper said the qu'istion really resolved itself into whether the accused had been guilty of such a broach of ruk* is to make him criminally responsible. There was a general rule that railway servants must safeguard the interests of the public and a specific rule that signalmen must frequently satisfy themselves as to the correct working of their signals. Had the accused, taking everything into consideration, been guilty of culpable negligence in not seeing his signal between midnight and 4 o'clock in the morning or was he justified in relying upon it and guilty, therefore, of only an error of judgment? After a few minutes' retirement the jury found the accused not guilty, and he was discharged.