ONGARUE DISASTER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 24 July 1923, Page 5

ONGARUE DISASTER

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

(United Press Association)

AUCKLAND, This Day

The Origarue railway disaster commission yesterday heard evidence and then adjourned to Wellington sine die. Davy Reginald Smith, a postal official, estimated the speed of the train at not more than 25 miles an hour. Henry Percy Hobson, guard on thetrnin, said lie saw a slight flame issuing from a broken cylinder, hut the jar in the mud as he jumped clown extinguished it. He received no complaints. There were sufficient tools to keen all going till relief arrived. The brakes were tested at Poro-o-Tarno and found quite satisfactory. When the undamaged carriages were, taken hack to Ongarue it was found necessary to pump up the cylinders after coupling up to release tiie brakes, showing that they were still holding three hours after the impact. The evidence of the engine driver of the express, Alexander S. Stewart, was taken at his residence as lie was not fit to attend. He said the headlight was burning well. He did not see anything before running into the slip. The‘first warning ho had was when he was into the slip. He applied tlie brakes immediately. The engine appeared to strike a heavy slope and was tossed about, and after travelling for some distance was thrown into a 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 and had been on it for years. He did not regard this point as dangerous. His impression was that the slip, came down immediately before the express, came along and thought that the vihra- j tion of the train ✓had a lot to do with j the slip coming down just then.