THE MUNGAROA RAILWAY ACCIDENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2407, 19 April 1900, Page 16

THE MUNGAROA RAIL WAY ACCIDENT.

WELLINGTON", April 10.

THE DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRY.

A departmental inquiry will be held into yesterday's railway accident. The regulations provide that all heavy goods or stock trains ascending the Wellington side of the Rimutaka shall stop at certain places (before approaching steep gradients) to allow the guards to put on waggon brakes. This was not done yesterday, and whether or not it was that the heavy train carried the engine too far to enable it to be done will be ascertained at the inquiry. George ■Smith, the engine-driver, has been suspended pending the inquiry. Stephen Hicks, injured in the railway accident, had his arm amputated at the hospital. Otherwise ho is progressing favourably.

WELLINGTON, April 14. The departmental inquiry into the Mungaroa lailway accident, was held at the Lower Hutt 3 - esterday.

George Smith, driver of the wrecked train, said that the engine brakes were applied as provided by the legulations. The line was very greasy, and he found the train sliding gradually away. lie endeavoured to btop the train at the usual place to enable the Ma~gon brakes to be applied, but was unable to, and could not understand nhy the van brakes did not pull him up. He whistled for braker when halfway down the steep gradient. He had not done so before, as the speed v.as notMng great. The maximum speed attained was nor more than 25 miles. It wad safe to take a train such as that on the day of the accident down vhe gradient if the usual precautions were taken. He had every confidence in Guards Barrett and Hicks, but there must have been something wrong when they did not get the brakes on. If they had the train could easily have teen stopped. He thought it spfe to have the guard's van in the middle of the train, as at some of the curves near the vicinity of the ape-'deiu the driver was unable to sec the itar of the tiaii:. He put the steam brake on and reversed ihe engines when he found the train slipping away. One truck jumped from the line a mile and a-half further en, and after that fell on its side. The couplings of the waggons next the engine broke, and the whole of the trucks began to pile up. He had known slight accidents to happen at the same spot on three occasions. J. G. Barrett, guard of the train, said lie hod a- t 7plied the brakes of the van. but, finding the train did not stop, ran and let down the brakes of, three v aggons. This did not appear to have any effect in decreasing the speed. He never heard any whistle for brakes, and was unaware that the train was .slipping awiy when he applied the brakes, but thought th 2 driver was having a difficulty in pulling up. The -s an brakes were in good order, and it wa.3 Safe to bring any train down the hill wluc'i the engine could pull across the fiat at Mungaroa. fle was physically fit for work, and did not say to the last witness that had he been more fit for work he would have got more brakes down. He had been ill before the accident, but had had a spell. Alex. Allan, fireman, said that when the engine brakes were put on on the other side of Kaitoke the wheels skidded, but were going not more than four miles, and there was nothing' to hinder the brakesman putting down the brakes. The driver shut off steam earlier tha l usual on the day of the accident. Witness corroborated .Smith's evidence, but thought ths loads which were brought down lately were too heavy. He did not tliink it fcafe to have 50 waggons on with one engine when the road had so many curves. When steam was shut off they wore half a mile from the top of the grade. He heard Barrett say that if he had bean all right he could have done something more towards stopping the train.

Peter C. Smith, waggon inspector, said that the vehicles and brakes were in good order.

John Nickie, driver, said he had brought 67 trucks down, and it was safe to do so so long as the regulations were carried out.

S. Hill, fetation master at Kaitoke, said the train was moving a little slower than usual when it passed Kaitoke.

A. C. Koch, district engineer, said that the scene of ths accident v/as in a curve, and the grade lin 46. The curve was so sharp that the front end of the bogie carriage would be barely off one curve before the rear end was on another. This witness and others said the road was in good order.

T. Peterkin, locomotive superintendent, said the driver should have had no difficulty in pulling up if he had taken the precautions necessary.

The inquiry was at this stage adjourned for the evidence of Hicks, the guard injured in the accident. The latter, who is in the hospital, is still in a critical condition.

April 16.

Guard Hicks, in his evidence, taken at the hospital, in connection with the accident on the Rimutaka incline, says that the train went on to the grade slowly, not more than two miles an hour, and he put on the brakes. After leaving Kaitoke he did not hear the engine whistle for the brakes, but kept them on hard. He states that he was fully conscious all the time he was lying under the wreckage, and suffered .great pain.

In their report to the general manager of railways in connection with the derailment of the excursion train at Invercargill on the morning of the 26th ult., the departmental board of inquiry who investigated the affair state that they are of opinion that some person well acquainted with railway work and fully informed as to the running of the trains maliciously unlocked the points and propped them open with a view to wreck the train. The damage to the track and rolling stock will probably amount to about £1000. The board states that no blame attaches to any of the members of the department.

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