WELLINGTON TRAM ACCIDENT-

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 106, 8 May 1907, Page 5

WELLINGTON TRAM ACCIDENT-

(Per Press Association.) Wellington*, May 7. The inquest on the victim of the Brooklyn tramway fatality was continued to-day. The City Solicitor intimated that

the tests conducted by the Public Works Department had not yet been completed.

Mr Stuart Richardson, City Electrical Engineer, described the movements of the car which met with the accident. He was not prepared to give an opinion as to the cause of the car running away at present. He wished thoroughly to examine the car and hear the principal witnesses

Mr James, traffic superintendent, said he considered a car of the type in question safer for taking curves than a smaller car. He had formed no theory about the cause of the accident. Rea, the motorman, might have been on duty nine hours with two spells. The speed limit on the Brooklyn line was seven and a half miles an hour. If the motorman was late lie was asked for an explanation but not fined. Rea was running a special car, which had to fit in with ordinary cars. Reliable men were ' picked for the special service. He believed Rea was a cool steady man. Richard Elliott, passenger by the car, said he saw the motorman putting on the hand brake, but did not know about the other brakes. Witness new some time before the ac; cident that the car was beyond control. He believed that from the commencement of the journey the motorman handled the brakes properly. Enquiry adohrned for lunch. Lateb. At the inquest on Mrs Bell, Arthur Smith, another passenger, said he believed Elliott's evidence was correct. He could not say whether there had been any skidding. He had nothing to suggest as to the cause of accident. The motorman was doing all he could and drove very carefully.

Louis Frederick Weber said that he was in charge of a car which met Rea's about 50 yards on the city side of Seagat's loop. Eea backed up to the loop and witness passed and did not see Sea again. He had never known either the magnetic or hand brake to fail. He had no prejudice against palace cars like No. 55, and he knew of no general prejudice against them.

At this stage the inquiry was adjourned provisionally till 2.15 on Friday.