FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT

Otago Witness, Issue 3334, 6 February 1918, Page 21

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT

Robert Reid, the young man who was dreadfully injured on the Taratu Coal Company's railway lino on the 28th, died at the Dunedtn Hospital at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning. Mr j. R, Bartholomew opened an inquest into the circumstances in the afternoon. Sergeant Thomson conducted the case for the police, and Mr J. 0. Stephens appeared to represent the Taratu Coal Company. James Reid, trucker at Nightcaps, a brother of deceased, gave evidence of identification. Prior to the accident he last saw his brother alive on Now Year's Day. When he saw him at the Hospital he was not rational. Dr J. T. Bowie (assistant medical superintendent) said that death was dutj to a fracture of the base of the.skull and other fractures caused by violence. Joseph Cecil Trotter (miner, Kaitangata) said he had been working at th© Taratu mino for about four months, and had been in the habit of cycling to and from his work. Reid and he went together, as they stayed at the same boardinghouse. On January 28 ho rode homo about 4 p.m. some two or three bioycle lengths behind deceased. They were between the rails of the Taratu railway line, which was the only cycle track. There was a strong headwind blowing. At & bend witness sow empty trudka approaching and shouted out three times, "Look out, Bobl" Deceased heard the third call, and turned his head to tho right just as the leading truck caught him on tho back of the head, and the left shoulder. He went down underneath tho trucks ancj between the rails. Witness had heard the train whistle at the Lakeside crossing, abou£ half a mile away. Then train was not travelling fast, as it was going up an incline, and it was pulled up promptly. About nine empty trucks passed over Reid. Witness rode back to the mine and rang up Dr Brown, of He saw a guard standing up m one of the trucks, and heard him call out something just before the accident.

In answer to the coroner, witness said there was another track over the hill, but it was no use for bicycles. . At this stage the inquest Was adjourned. The inquest was resumed on the 4th inst. Boyd! Alexander Bonnie, trucker at tho Taratu coal mine, deposed to having cycled along the railway line with the deceased and a witness named: Trotter on the day of the accident. Trotter was in front of witness, and "deceased was about two bicycla lengths in front Trotter, He heard no whistle or warning. He saw Trotter jump off his bicycle, and Reid get knocked off his machine by a string of trucks which were approaching. There was a strong wind blowing at the time, and - deceased was riding with his head down. Witness had been in the habit of riding home along the railway line. He had frequently met the train; he knew the time it was scheduled to run. He had not been warned as to the danger of riding on the railway line. He saw the guard standing on a truck, which was the ninth from the leading truck. The guard put up his hands. He saw the deceased when he was picked up. He was found under the ninth truck. To Mr Stephens: He knew he was. using the line at his own risk when he cycled on it. He also knew that on this particular day they would meet the train. The three were

travelling afc about five or six miles an hour. If they had not been riding- with their beads down they would have seen the train sooner. Ho had Been oycliste getting off their bicycles jusfc in front of the engine when a -train was approaching. The train ascends an incline at the scene of tha accident and travels slowly. s William James Hughes, guard on the Taratu train, stated that he was on the train which caused the accident. He had been so employed for a period of 18 months. There wero 14 trucks ahead of the engine on the day of the accident. Witness was standing in the seventh truck. He saw cyclists approaching, the nearest cyclists being about SO yards from the leading truck. He noticed that the leading cyclist was apparently unaware of the train's approach. He then saw that an accident was inevitable and gave the signal to stop. The fireman observed the signal and the train was pulled up promptly." Deceased waa found lying under the eighth truck. Tha train was running about a quarter of an hour late. At the time of the accident it would be travelling at a speed of between four and five miles an hour.—To Mr Stephens : From where deceased was knocked down it was possible to see a distance of 100 yards. If witness rode in the leading truck it would be impossible for him to give the signal to the engineman. in the event of impending- danger, hence it was customary for him to travel on tho middle vehicle. On the day' concerned witness waa keeping a sharp look-out. Tbe train alwaya whistled when approaching the level crossing. It took from four to five minutes for the train to travel from tbe level crossing to the scene of the accident. Maxwell M-Naught Shore, engine driver, stated that he waa driving the Taratu train on the day of the accident. He had occupied the position for four days previously. He remembered getting a signal- from the guard to stop. He was quite aocustomed to the line and had been relieving engine driver on many occasions. He estimated the speed of the train at five or six miles per hour. Travelling at that speed, he estimated that the train would travel about halt its length, before being pulled u/p. „ The Coroner, in giving his verdict, stated that the evidence showed that the fatality was a pure misadventure. The deceased and others were in the habit of riding along the railway line, well knowing tha risk they were ; running. The accident waa entirely "due to tbe neglect of deceased, who was leading the party returning from the mine, to keep a proper look-out. The verdict would be that the deceased met his death throught being; accidentally knocked down by a tauck on the Taratu Railway Company's line, and that no blame was attachable to any of the company's servants.