THE AUCKLAND RAILWAY ACCIDENT. Auckland, January 4.

Otago Witness, Issue 2289, 13 January 1898, Page 10

THE AUCKLAND RAILWAY ACCIDENT. Auckland, January 4.

The inquest on Barker, the fireman who was killed in the railway accident, was commenced in Htlensville, when the jury viewed the body, which was dreadfully di; figured. On the coroner's suggestion the jury then proceeded by special train to view the scene of the accident. The engine was found lying on one side. The cab of the engine was crumpled up by the force of tha fall, and underneath it is a hole that was dug ia order to release Barker's leg. Behind the engine ia the first carriage, practically reduced to matchwood, completely emashed up, and lyiig on one side. The next carriage is also wrecked, and ia lying on the same side of the line. Tbe third carriage, being a bogie car, was canted the reverse way to the engine, and sustained practically very little damage. The remsiniog cars and van are uninjured. Where the engine left the line the rails are badly twisted, and the sleepers loosened and drawn away. The jurors discovered that a sleeper much nearer Helensville was quite loose, and the opinion was expressed that it would be necessary to have the testimony of an independent engineer re the safety of the line for traffic. Upon the jury resuming the first witness called was Patrick Neville, the driver of the eDgine, who deposed to the facts already telegraphed. He tried with others to pull Barker out through the hole in the cab, bub could not. It was impossible to see Barker's position till the water and steam were all out of the boiler. The cause of the steam was the bursting of a pipe. The steam had a pressure of about 1501b. Deceased never spoke, but held out his hands. Witness could nob say how long it was before Barker died. He was not taken out till some time after he was dead. The reason Baiker could not be got out was because his leg was jammed inside and had been twisted by the engine overturning. Witness had been driving on a railway nearly 20 years on the Auckland cection, and had been stationed at Helensville for eight years. The train that came up that morning travelled about 30 milea

an hour over wi ere tho accident occurred. He could not sun. 30 tailes an hcur on the down trip. Tb>rs w*s no means of stepping the escape of sfesm, tbe too's being buried under th'i er-gine. O^ca before he saw the line buckle &h Goodwin's bridge, and believed it was caused by a rai'i; fiuling the bridge during a fljed. Hd considered, the line was in good order, and thou,jhb the cause of fcho rails buckling was the gre&fc heat. Evidence was given by Thomas Manning (guard), H<-nry Sb*na?ray (clerk), W. F. O -borne 'g*«'g-r), T. K. M'Donald (plafceKycr), W. J. Leo (platelayer), and O. H. B'^S (resideiife crgineer). The j.iry_, after a retirement of two hours, returned wi"h the following verdict : — " That the doce&sad John Barker met hia death acciceiit*!ly by the overturning of an engine on January 3 near Kaakapakspa. The jury are of opinion \ that the line wheiM (.he accident occurred is insufficiently baUa=ttd, and n comaiead that a most sc-archirg inquiry be made into the came of accident." The deceased w%s buried in tha Wesleyan C« metery, the Rev. Me Stephenson (local Wes'ejan clfrgymau) officiating at the grave. Tbe (hief mourners wt-re the widow and eldest daughter of deceased ; while about 200 residents followed the remains to their last resting place, headed by Foresters in regalia. Tho deceased was highly respected in the district, and his sad end has created a profound impression. H-j was a teacher ia the local Wesleyan school. It is understood that the widow of deceased is entitled to receive £70 from the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.