THE 'BUS AND TRAM COLLISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12818, 18 March 1905, Page 7

THE 'BUS AND TRAM COLLISION.

CONTINUATION OF THE INQUEST.

FURTHER EVIDENCE TAKEN.

Tnr, inquest upon the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Foster, who was killed in the collision between one of Pullan and Armitago's 'buses and an electric tramcar, in Symondsstreet on February 13 last, was continued before tho coroner (Mr. T. Gresham) and jury at St. Andrew's Hall, Lower Sy-motul.s-street, at ten o'clock yesterday morning. Mr. J. C. Martin and Mr. F. 30 Bamno appeared for tho motonnan, Mr. ]■:. C. Blomfield on behalf of Mr. 0. J- Parr for the relatives of the deceased, and Mr. F. Earl for tho 'busman and Messrs. Pullan and Armitage. Sergeant Hendry represented the police. Before proceeding with the evidence, Mr. Earl applied for permission to put in ,the report of three engineers who had inspected the ear at the barn, but this was objected to. ✓

Mr. Earl then said that ho would Mil Mr. Masolield, one of the engineers, to certify to the report. The Coroner suggested that it would be better if the reports of Mr. Masefield and the accompanying engineers and Mr. Salinger, were perused by tho jury, who could then say whether they wanted the witnesses called or not.

The suggestion was adopted. _ After perusing tho documents the jury signified that they did not want either Mr. Mnsefield or Mr. Salinger called.

GANLEY CONTINUES HIS EVIDENCE.

'Bus-driver Ganley, who was in the box when the Court adjourned the previous day, continued his evidence. In answer to Sergeant Hendry, witness paid that he had considerable knowledge of the rate at which cara travelled in Symonds-street. Ho had seen cars travelling down there nearly three limes as fast as his 'bus, and he would not be surprised to find a ear passing him at from IS to 21 miles an hour. That knowledge had always made him cautious, and he looked out for a car when crossing the line. Before crossing a line he always looked round to make sure that there was no car behind him at an unsafe distance.

INSPECTOR COX CALLED. Inspector Cox produced the report; which ho had furnished to the Tramways Company an hour after the accident. Questioned by Mr. Earl, he said that the contents of the report, with the exception of the clause where it said that the impact took place above pole 573, were, to the best of his belief, true. Instead of saving that, the impact occurred above pole *573, he should have .said below pole 573. When the impact, occurred he was standing on the road near pole 577, which was about 120vds away. Ho immediately ran down 'to the double-decker, and, after telling the conductor there to go for Dr. Lewis, to acquaint the head office of the accident, and ,to get as many doctors and cabs as possible, he ran back to the scene of the accident As ho did so ho pulled out his watch, which showed the time to bo 12 minutes past six. His reason, for statin* in the report that the rails were slippery, was because drops of crease had fallen upon them from the cars that day. Mr. Earl: On a slippery track "is it not highly necessary that a motorman should exercise special care to keep his car in hand?

■Witness: At stopping places, yes. But any place might bo a stopping place. Is it not essential that a motorman should exercise special care upon a slippery track —les; ho should use more care. But more than ordinary care?— Yes. By that I mean that at stopping places a motorman by putting on his ratchet with care would avoid skidding his hind wheels and flattening thorn. To Mr. Blomfield: Ho could not say what, distance the car was away when the .'bus started to cross the line. To Mr. Martin: He was not an engineer, an electrician, or a motorman by examination, and much importance should not therefore be placed upon tho opinions which he had been asked to give. They always took their time from the timekeeper at the terminus, and when the accident, took place he had not checked his tuna with that of the timekeeper for two days before.

To Sergeant Hendry: Ho reckoned that when the car was coming down the street it was travelling at nine miles an hour.

THE MOTORMAN RECALLED.

ho mold-man, recalled, said, in answer to Mr. Karl, that his usual speed from the top of Symonds-strect to Karaugahape Road was from 10 to'll miles an hour. Mr. Earl: Prior io the accident did you not. sea a notice up in the bam, telling motormen to take special precautions in Symouds-street while it was underpin" repairs? ° ° Witness: Yes.

What precautions did you take?—l went at ilie speed that the notice directed. Continuing, Witness said that assuming Ire was right in saving that ho was about polo 569 while Ganley was about pole 572, and that tho impact took place between poles 573 and 574, it, did not follow that witness gave Ganley 120 yds start in 180 yds and caught him.

At this stage the inquest was adjourned until ten o'clock this morning.