CRUSHED BY A TRUCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14345, 15 April 1910, Page 6

CRUSHED BY A TRUCK.

; ./■ O'NEII/S POINT FATALITY. Ax inquest was held yesterday before th%. ** ; district Coroner (Mr. T. Graham), and a : jury, into tho circumstances surrounding tho - death of William Warren, who was killed '4 on Wednesday while working on a truck in 1 connection with the /construction of the *"?% Takapuna tramline. '•/.•:. ; ' || John McCarthy, < foreman of tho works, ' said the deceased, whom he had known for 15 months, -was a man of steady habits. At ■'« the time of the accident, deceased was rid- ;, | ing on a truck laden with crushed metal. Tho fatality was the result of the breaking of an axle. ' Tho engine was travelling at a \ | speed of about five miles an hour. Tho 3l curve on tho line where the fatality occur- l | red was pretty sharp. Tho truck, and its - - load weighed ;from 4i to 1 ' 5 tons. Similar -■ '•••■5 weights had been carried on the truck for. ':3 the past two months. ... \. • .'>'! Francis Finkyson, who was on the etijr.'iie, ■■,■}',s said they had.passed the curve, and. wero '■:■'!s about getting into tne straight, wnen wit- \ji ness saw the truck on whicn the decoded ',:'■ was riding drop. Deceased was pitched :>| forward, and feu beneath the truck, i'ltr© .■■;.] was nothing to cause the accident other than ".-', the breaking of the axle.: • ."■■- -.£ Michael Kayinond Creagh, a member of the firm of contractors, saia he had inspected ;t | the axle, and was of opinion that tho qual* :J\ I ity of the steel was not all that could bo ,'>; desired. Thero was a small flaw visible. Dr. Atkinson, who was called, to O'Neil'a Point, said tho cause of death was shock, r resulting from a crushing. s Fredk. Drummond, the engino-driver, said -. lie had frequently warned men against* rid- f v'j ing on the trucks. The instant the acci- ' dent occurred, he put on the break, and. ', i -;'-v» engine stopped within 14ft. or 15ft. , • The Coroner and jury inspected the broken axle. . \_ v The jury returned ' a verdict that' death . v was due to shock, resulting from Warren being accidentally crushed by a wheel of a Wj® .'truck, no blame being attachable to , any- , . one. They also expressed the opinion that no person should be allowed to ride on trucks in the position deceased was. in at the > time,-of tho accident. . * -, . ,