ONGARUE SMASH.

Northern Advocate, 24 July 1923, Page 5

ONGARUE SMASH.

EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMISSION,

THE VIBRATION THEORY,

AUCKLAND, This Day,

The Ongarue railway disaster Inquiry Commission yesterday heard evidence and then adjourned to Welling-

ton sine die,

Dare'y Reginald Smith a postal official, estimated the speed of the train at not more than 25 miles an hour.

Hugh R. McKenzie, chairman of £he Auckland Harbour Board, said that the suggestion that everything was not done in forwarding the . injured passengers to their destination after the accident was utterly wrong. His luggage was kept at Taumarunui and no charge was made.

Henry Percy Hobson, guard on ► the train, said he saw a slighttflame issuing from the broken cylinder, but the jar on the mud as he jumped down extinguished it. He received no com-, plaints. There were sufficient tools to keep all going till relief arrived. The breaks were tested at Poro-otarao and found quite satisfactory. When the undamaged carriages were taken back to Ongarue it was found necessary to pump up the cylinders after coupling up to release the breaks, showing that they were still holding three hours after the impact.

The evidence of the driver of the express, Alexander S. Stewart, was taken at his residence, as he was .not fit to attend. He said that the headlight was burning well. He did not sec anything before running into the slip. The first warning he had was when he was into the slip. He applied the breaks immediately. The engine appeared to strike a heavy slip. It was tossed about and after travelling some distance was thrown into the bank. Something hit witness on the head and he was "rendered unconscious. Witness was one of the first drivers to run on the Main Trunk line. He had been on it for four years and did not regard this point as dangerous. Ilis impression was that the slip came down immediately before the express came, along. He thought that the vibration of the train had a lot to do with the slip coming down just then. —Press Assn.