VISITORS TO ENGINE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 4 May 1938, Page 7

VISITORS TO ENGINE

RAIL WRECK INQUIRY APPRENTICE'S EVIDENCE QUESTION ABOUT STOPPING (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The inquiry into the derailment of the Wellington-New Plymouth excursion train near Ratana on the morning of March 26 was resumed to-day. Frederick Harry Taylor, an apprentice at the railway workshops at Htttt, and a passenger by the train, said he knew the witness yesterday had said, in effect, that he, Taylor, had said a railway cadet had travelled on the engine from Wellington. Witness said that he was with other apprentices on the station at Wellington, and before the train's departure saw a young man on the engine footplate talking to the driver. Witness went to his carriage. He did not know the youth was a cadet and presumed he had an opportunity of leaving the engine before the train started.

Witness dozed on and off to Palmerston, and was asleep whet; the train arrived there. He walked to the engine. Witness' seat was in the first carriage and stood about 25 yards away. There were three persons in the cab, the driver, the fireman and a man who appeared to be like a person who worked about the track. If the third person had grey pants on. he would have noticed it. Delivered Train Advice Mr. Aiekin announced at this point that he had ascertained from Palmerston North station that a lad with grey pants and a brown coat delivered the train advice to the driver at the station. It was necessary for him to wait some time in the cab until the driver cleaned his hands. He submitted this disposed of yesterday's evidence.

Replying to further questions, the witness said the third person in the cab at Palmerston was not the youth he saw in the cab at Wellington. The person at Palmerston North looked like a train examiner, but witness did not get a good view of him.

Statements Denied

Witness denied making any statements that there was a railway cadet in the cab who travelled from Wellington. What he said was that he thought there was a junior stoker or cleaner out of the running shed. Replying to Sir Francis Frazer, witnes said that at the time of the accident he did not know it was a breach of the regulations for a third person to be in the cab.

No Authority to Stop

The train guard, Thomas Henry White, giving evidence, said that after the train examiner at Palmerston told him the tarin was right, witness went up to the engine. The fireman was on top to assist with taking in the water. The driver came out of the cab and said that a man from Fordell had asked him to stop and the driver asked witness whether he should. Witness said: "No, right on to Aramoho. We have no authority to stop." Witness went into the first carriage and checked the ticket, and by the time he had finished'the train was past Turakina. He had also to count the passengers.