RAILWAY FATALITY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14141, 14 June 1919, Page 5

RAILWAY FATALITY.

INQUEST ON BUNNYTHOEPE

| VICTIM. CORONER SAYS BELT, SHOULD BE PROVIDED. The circumstances surrounding the death of Jean Pedersen, aged 10 years, a vievtim in the recent railway crossing fatality, were enquired into before the district coroner, Mr E. Page, S.M., yesterday, Mr R. S. Pasley, Traffic inspector, Wanganui, watched the proceedings for the Railway Department. Phyllis Pedersen, aged 14 years, and daughter of Mrs Pedersen, said that on May 27 last she was driving home from school with her sister (Jean) and two brothers (Alexander and Ronald). She was sitting on the bottom of the cart near the back and Jean was sitting opposite her. The two boys were both standing in front. She could not say which was driving. They approached | the crossing from the hotel and witness I considered that the willow trees which [ grew a short distance up the line would i I obstruct their vision. As far as wit- ! ness knew none of them noticed the > down New Plymouth oppress approaching. She thought the train had passed. They had crossed the line in fhat place a great many times at the same hour and the Now Plymouth train had passeu before they were ready to go home. The horse was trotting fairly fast on to the crossing and continued that speed until it was struck by the train. She heard no one calling out to them at the time. The first they knew of the train’s approach was when the whistle was heard and they were struck almost immediately. When the engine struck them witness was thrown out the back of the cart. She did not know whether the horse was made to go faster or if any attempt was made to pull it up when the train was noticed. To the Coroner: They were generally on the lookout for this train, but they thought as it was so late that it had gone. Witness w.as showing the deceased sister a music book, but the brothers did not take any notice of it. Her mother had told them to be careful when crossing the line. Eric George Cowan, Milson’s Line,

(a schoolboy aged 14), said he was near

the crossing when be noticed Pedersens approaching the line. Witness saw the Now Plymouth train about 100 yards away, its whistle having attracted his attention. The train again whistled when about 20 yards from the crossing. The horse was trotting and witness called out to them and he thought they

were going to stop. Ronald, the younger of the two boys, was driving and he looked towards witness. Witness had said “Look out, stop." Ronald answered “What’s wrong?” Alex, looked in the direction of the train and called “Pull up!” but before this could bo done the horse had its front legs on

the line. Alex, had no time to assist in pulling the horse up. Witness considered the occupants of the trap hau as good a view of the train as he did. Alex, was the only one to see the train and that was just before it hit them. The cart was thrown round and both Jean and the horse were thrown in the

air. The cart was caught again and carried along. Alex, was carried along in the cart and Ranald was thrown out.

dean was also carried along, for some distance, but not so far as Alex. The train appeared to be going a little faster than usual. When it was pulled up the end of the guard’s van was about on the cattle-stops just clear of the road. The wind was blowing against the train and together with the noise of the trap witness considered this would prevent the children from hoaxing the train. To the Coroner: The train usually came through the crossing at a fast rate. The train was a quarter of an hour or ten minutes late. If Ronald was on the lookout he could not have helped seeing the train.

To Mr Pasley: The tablet porter who gave the signal for the train to come through was about 100 or 150 yards away. The train did not slacken speed until it hit the cart.

Ivan Comorford Taylor, a school boy, i and also an eye-witness, gave evidence i which was mostly corroborative of the j previous witness ’ statements. He was | certain the Pedersens were not racing •to got over the crossing before the itrain. I Alexander Ogilvic, surfaceman, New Zealand Railways, said the train first whistled about 300 yards from the crossing. Witness then saw the children and tried unsuccessfully to draw their attention. In witness’ opinion the accident would have been avoided had ordinary precautions boon taken. ' To the Coroner: The regulation speed | along that portion of the line was 45 j miles an hour but on the day of the tragedy the train was travelling at 35 , miles an hour. j W. G. Millin, fireman, New Zealand , Railways, Wellington, deposed that he j was employed on the south bound Now Plymouth express on May 27. Ho saw ■ a. horse with cart attached approaching i the crossing. The whistle was first ; blown outside the signal and again bc- : tween the signal and the crossing. The horse was trotting and when only 20 to ' 25 yards from the crossing it looked as i if no one was in charge of the horse !at all. Then suddenly one of the boys ■jumped up and tried to pull the horse up. Witness considered that it was then I that the boy first saw the train. The , horse had just began to slacken speed

as it was hit. The front of the engine only grazed the trap, but the horse was hit broadside on. The eab of the engine obstructed the driver from seeing anything of the accident. It was impossible to pull the train up in the short space of time between seeing the children and the collision. The brakes wore, however, immediately applied. "Witness estimated the speed of the train before reaching the crossing to be about 35 miles an hour. This was only witness’ second trip on this run. With a straight run and clear view, 35 miles was not an excessive speed to travel over the crossing. James Davidson, engine driver, Wellington, who was ‘driving the train in question, deposed that they left Feilding six minutes late, but did not catch any tlnm up before th° accident. The usual warnings were sounded. They were travelling at from So to ->7 mil s an hour.. Tie saw nothing of the horse, trap or children before the cession. Immediately hr was told by the fireman of the approach of the cart witness applied the brakes and the train pulled up within its own length (about KiO yards). Formal evidence was given by Robert Littlejohn, tinsmith, Palmerston, an

uncle of deceased, and Constable A. G. i Lake (Feilding). | the verdict. ! In returning a verdict of accidental death, through bMng run into at a level .crossing by the New Plymouth express i on the 27th instant, the Coroner stated: The train was evidently travelling through the crossing at a high rate of j .speed. The whistle appeared to have been properly sounded but on account ’ of the adverse wind the sound of the whistle of the approaching train was not so noticeable, as under other conditions it might have been. It was clear that if the children had taken proper precautions they could have seen the approaching train and averted the tragic occurrence. The Coroner added the following rider: "Whatever may be the legal position of the Railway Department I think that in the public interest there should be in crossings of this nature an automatic bell giving warning of the approach of a train. The crossing is in the centre of a small township, is a good deal used and some of the trains pass over it at a high rate of speed. If such a bell had been installed the chin, would not. I think, have lost her life. Although an adult in possession of his normal faculties would probably not be caught at this crossing, it must be remembered that the crossing is used by children who may be thoughtless, atm by others, elderly people for instance, whose faculties may not be keen.