ONGARUE DISASTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 58

ONGARUE DISASTER.

BOARD OF INQUIRY. OPENING OF INVESTIGATIONS. WELLINGTON, July 16. The Board of Inquiry appointed by the Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disaster to the Main Trunk express near Ongarue opened its proceedings at the Magistrate’s Courthouse" in Wellington. The board oonsisted of Messrs W. G. Riddell, S.M. (chairman), J. P. Maxwell, and Marchbanks (engineer to the Wellington Harbour Board). Mr James Mason is acting in the capacity of secretary. Mr H. H. Sterling is representing the New Zealand Railways Department. The only evidence taken was that of departmental officials and Detectives Walsh and Revell, of Wellington, who were passengers on the train. There was no attendance of the public. The board was charged to inquire—1. What was the cause of the derailment of the Auckland-Wellington express near Ongarue station on July 6, 1923. 2. W T as any employee in the service of the Railway Department guilty of any dereliction of duty which directly or indirectly contributed to such derailment? 3. Generally, are there any circumstances in connection with I he said derailment which call for comment, and, more particularly, what steps (if any) might bo introduced to prevent a recurrence of a similar derailment? Mr Sterling, speaking of the accident as the worst in the railway history of New Zealand, said that the Railway Department was entirely in the hands of the board, and it would render any assistance possible, both in the way of evidence and any expert opinion that its officers could give. He had first to tender the heartfelt sympathy of the general manager and the general management of the New Zealand Railways to those unfortunate people bereaved by the accident, and also to those who had sustained injuries. It was sincerely trusted that the latter would find spoedy relief from their sufferings and enjoy a complete recovery. With. regard to procedure, he did not propose to place the Department in the position of defendant. They were there to assist solely in the elucidation of the cause of the accident, and any evidence in that direction would be welcomed. He was glad to be able to say that the complaints on any matter after the accident were practically nil, for there were only one or two minor matters, such as the charge which was made for luggage at Thurnnrunui. He would like to refer to what he might call the heroism of those who were injured in the three carriages which were telescoped. There has been unanimous testimony as to the fortitude with which they bore their sufferings. There was an entire absence of complaint, and the behaviour of those who were unfortunate at that time was worthy of the highest traditions of the British race. In reviewing the nature of the evidence, it was proposed to call, Mr Sterling said there was one important fact upon which there was rittle evidence available, and that was he time at which the fall came down. He would find little evidence which would help the board to any degree, and the best he could do would be to call the driver of the engine of the last train that passed along that road prior to the accident. That train went through without any mishap, and it could be assumed that no slip had then taken place, for, had the driver seen anything he woud have reported it. The court would hear of the rescue of the passengers and the speed with which the necessary medical assistance and material were sent to the spot and the trains got away for Taumarunui. The Department would be glad to give effect, if possible, to anv suggestion from the board, and, in conclusion, he might offer the: suggestion that (ho locality should be visited .as early as possible, as he thought an inspection would lead to a better understanding of the evidence. Evidenco was then taken, and it was decided to proceed to the scene of the disaster. SCENE OF DISASTER VISITED. TAUMARUNUI, July 19. Members of the Commission appointed to inquire into the Ongarue railway disaster journeyed by special train as far as Poro-o-tarao (29 miles from Taumarunui) this morning for *he purpose of inspecting the locality where the catastrophe occurred. Dr Henderson (Assistant Director of the geological branch) left the train at Ongame for the purpose of making a geological examination of the ground at the scene of the accident. The party stopped at this locality on the return journey and made a general survey of the line and the cutting from various angles. The party then returned to Taumarunui. SITTING AT TAUMARUNUI. TAUMARUNUI, July 19. The commission appointed to inquire into the Main Trunk Railway disaster opened a sitting here to-day after adjourning from Wellington. Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., is chairman of the commission. Charles W. Turner, ganger at Ongarue, deposed that the section of the line on which the accident occurred was under his supervision, and he had to inspect this section once every day. Witness inspected the line on the day prior to the accident and passed the spot where the slip occurred four times. The line seemed to be in good order, and there -was no more water than usual. Witness instructed his leading man to inspect the line on the day of the accident. Witness had not seen anylhing in this particular cutting which required special attention. There was a small slip in the cutting last October. There had been very little trouble on this section of the line. Witness saw the express on the morning of the accident, and it seemed to be going very steadily. Describing the scene of the accident, witness said the smoke box of the engine was off and there was mud on the lamp. The engine would have got through the slip but for the boulder, which weighed about a ton. Witness did not hear any complaints as to there being insufficient tools or ambulance appliances. To Mr Riddell: Witness said he would go out at night if a slip were threatening. To Mr Marchbanks: Witness said he made his inspection during the day, and had never had any occasion to walk over that length at night. To Mr Sterling: He said he had had no occasion to go out on the night of the

accident. The weather had cleared and it was a clear, frosty night, David A Robb, inspector of permanent way. stationed at Ohakune, said he had inspected the length where the accident occurred every week. That was the general custom. He regarded this section of the line as one of the safest. To Mr Marchbanks: On this section of the line he did not consider it necessary to go out at night. Joseph Blacker stated that he had been on the permanent way for 18 years. At the time of the accident he was acting as inspector arid was stationed at Ohaupo. He arrived on the scene of the accident about 12.30 p.m., and made an inspection of the line. Witness had never had anything to complain about concerning Turner’s work, and Turner was a conscientious and reliable man. Witness had seen the line at this point in bad weather, and did not regard it as a bad section. George Alfred Rayson, inspector of permanent way, Te Kuiti, said that the Ongarue section of the line was one of the safest in his district-. There had been a small slip there in October last, but only a small pocket of pumice slipped, and witness c-culd rely on Turner’s judgment. To Mr Marchbanks: There was a considerable amount of patrolling done during stormy weather, and trains were signalled if necessary. Sidney J. G. Holmes, overseer of the Public Works Department at Okahnkura, said he put 15 men with tools aboard ths first relief train going to the scene of the accident, and witness w T ent with more tools by the second train. He considered that the big boulder caused the derailment. Witness saw no shortage of material, and the dead w'ere promptly treated. The headlight of the engine was covered with mud. To Mr Marchbanks: The mud on the headlight must have come from the slip. Alfred E. Jackson, porter at gave evidence as to ringing up Taumarunui for assistance immediately he was informed of the accident. To Mr Riddell: The headlight of the engine was shining brightly as the express passed through Ongarue. Herbert M. Smith, stationmaster at Ongarue, gave evidence as to sending for assistance immediately he heard of the accident. Witness considered there were too many at the scene of the accident to work in the limited space. Robert S. Cochrane, assistant relieving officer at Taumarunui station, who was a passenger on the wrecked train, gave evidence as to proceeding to Ongarue to inform'the porter at the station of the accident. Arthur K. Dyne, who was relieving at Taumarunui station on the day of the accident, gave evidence concerning the quick despatch of relief trains to the scene of the disaster, and also to ringing up Waimiha, Roroctarao, Taringamotu, and Oltahukura for gangs to go out. The first train arrived at the slip between 7.20 and 7.25 a.m. Witness described how he arranged for the removal of the dead and the injured. The first relief train left the scene of the accident for Taumarunui at 8.45 a.m. The treatment of the injured was not delayed by the Railway Department, July 20. The Ongarue inquiry was continued today. D. K. Dyne, railway official, in crossexamination, said the boulder was a-t right angles to the front of the engine. He had heard no official complaints, nor had he heal'd of any complaints from the injured. There were plenty of officials distinguishable to whom complaints could have been made. He had overheard a complaint by a clergyman, but this was unfounded. He did not notice water running down the water table. He had plenty of tools and men at the wreck. Angus R. Ross, guard at Taumarunui, said he heard of the accident when he was going to duty at a quarter past 6. He received instructions from Mr Dyne to run a train to the slip with tools and ambulance equipment. He left Taumarunui between 6.38 and 6.40. a.m. with the first relief train, which arrived at the slip at 7.25. Witness noticed the boulder on the line, and also that the smoke-box and lamp were spattered with mud. He was in uniform, but no complaints were made to him about the handling of the dead. None was roughly handled. The dead were shown as much respect as possible in the circumstances. No complaints were made about insufficient tools. The relief train left for Taumarunui about 8.40. He suggested that the dead and injured should not be placed on the same train. He did not hear anything about unchecked luggage. Thomas Drury, guard, stationed at Taumarunui, said he was informed •> of the* accident at 7 a.m., and was instructed to do the second relief train. He gathered all the cushions and other material. Three nurses and one doctor went with the second relief train, which arrived at the slip at 8.15. Witness coupled up the two trains. Preference was given to the injured in conveyance. When the second relief train arrived all the dead and injured had been removed from the wreck. He did not hear the clergyman making a complaint, John Denahy, storeman at Taumarunui station, deposed that he had made the arrangements for the transportation of the dead and injured. 110 got the cars, stretchers, and bedding and everything was in order bv the time the first relief train arrived. With a porter he removed the luggage from the van. All the unclaimed luggage was taken to the office. He called out to the passengers to claim their belongings at the office. They were instructed not to collect anv charges for the luggage. He was in charge of the luggage up till 3 o’clock, and no charges were made that he knew of. If there had been any argument about the luggage he would have heard it. He was told to lift the luggage off the station platform as a good deal of it belonged to the injured. He suggested to one passenger that it would be more advisable to store the luggage as there was a chance of pilfering. Witness said he made no reference to making a charge for storing the luggage. Robert Crosier, ganger, in charge of the Taumarunui section, said he procured equipment to go with the first relief train. There were plenty of tools. When he arrived he helped to relieve two injured men who were i am bed between the seats. lie also removed the dead from the debris. They had to take the first of the dead out of the windows. as there was no other wav. A medical man helped to shift the dead. Witness heard a certain clergyman remark that the dead should not he removed without a stretcher. There were plenty of tools and men for the work of rescue. The slip was a small one, but full of boulders, otherwise tho tram would have gone through

tbe slip. lie heard no complaints as to the shortage of ambulance appliances. It was not a had section. There had been rain off and on for 16 weeks prior to the accident. Alfred W. Kirton, stationmaster at Taumarunui, gave evidence in regard to having arranged with the officer in charge for- relief measures. There was alarge amount of left luggage brought to the station, and witness instructed the porters to Hand it over to the owners on applicat on without charge. Witness remembered informing the department when he was stationmaster at Mosgiel that a doctor, who had attended at Gordon road crossing _ accident-, suggested that a supply of dressings, bandages, cotton wool, gauze, lysol, and other disinfectants should be provided on the trains. < Mr Sterling here explained that this suggestion was the genesis of the provision of ambulance equipment on trains. Walter J. Enticott, Methodist clergyman at Taumarunui, gave evidence that he was a passenger on the wrecked train. Witness and Dr Bathgate took part in the rescue work and found a shortage of tools at first. Jhat was until the guard came along about 10 minutes later with implements. Mr Riddell: I suppose the time seemed very long. Witness: Yes. It seemed long with no-, thing but our hands to work with. First aid appliances were brought forward by the guard. There was no iodine and no picric acid, but there was lysol. There seemed to be no splints in that box. Witness considered the dead were treated with every reverence William Robert Davidson, district railway department engineer, Ohakune, said teat the Ongarue section was classed as (he safest in the district, and nothing to speak of had come down for 20 years. It was pumice country and gdve no indication of an impending slip on account of its non-adhesive nature. Witness considered it was necessary for him to inspect the line before allowing a relief train to run south. Witness arrived at Taumarunui shortly after 1 p.m. on the day of dhe accident. He produced photographs showing that the driver would have a view of the cutting where the accident occurred for about 52 yards in daylight, and half that distance at night. To MV Marchbanks: Witness considered everything humanly possible had been done to minimise the danger of slips coming down. I o Air Riddell witness said it wag a mechanical impossibility for the boulder to have been carried for two and a-half chains unless it, came down in front of the engine. •lames W. M’Lea.n, postmaster, produced a weather chart showing that the rainfall for the month prior to the accident was B.Pin. which was exceptionally heavy. William Frederick Oamnbell. fireman of the wrecked train, deposed that immediately before the collision the power was shut, off. Witness was keeping a good lookout, but he did not see anything before the crash came. At first there was a sound like metal under the wheels and then a lonri rnoort. He thought the smoke box was being smashed because all the tire shot out into the oab. Witness described his oxneriences after the smash. To Mr Riddell: He thought the boulder must have come down iust as they got to that spot.. It did pot Round as if it struck the engine anywhere else but in the smoke box To Air Marchbanks witness said the engine seemed to leave the road right away He heard the driver nut the brake on. and then came the crash. Ivan Urasoff. a passenger on the wrecked train, gave evidence that he estimated the train was travelling at about, 18 to 20 miles an hour at the time of the crash. .Tames Ace. another passenger, related his exneriences and said he received every attention from the railway peonle of Taumarunui and the hospital authorities. At this stage the commission was adjourned to Auckland.