FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9685, 13 June 1917, Page 6

FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT

JURY’S FINDINGS AT INQUEST. Press Association. AUCKLAND, Juno 12. At the inquest on Airs Elizabeth Annie Birch, the victim of the tramway accident at Onehunga on May 26th, the jury found that she died of shock as a result of accident; that it was no part of tho motorman’s duty as defined in the company’s rules to look round to the back of the car when starting, but 71 had been the custom for some years past; that the motorman accidentally fell of! the car while looking round, and that he would not have fallen had the controller of the handle been sufficiently close-fitting. The following rider was added: “We approve of the custom of motormen looking round to the rear of the car, and recommend that so long as this custom obtains ho shall not start the car before doing so; (2) we consider that there should be some protection, such as a chain across the motorman’s entrance, to prevent him from falling off the oar when on duly; (3) we recommend that advertising matter which obstructs the passengers’ and conductor's view of tho motormau should ho sufficiently removed to admit of a clear view of tho moformau from the inside of the car.”