MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 24 January 1925, Page 6

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

DISMISSED BY MAGISTRATE. FATALITY ON RAILWAY. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 22. Charles Paulsen was charged at Upper Hutt yesterday with manslaughter in connection with the death of Dennis Sullivan, who died in hospital as a result of being jammed between the door of a truck and the gate of the stockyard during shunting operations. The evidence chiefly concerned the stop signal given to the driver of the train, which backed on to the truck at which deceased was working. Accused signalled the train to come on by extending an arm and waving his hand, and to stop by holding his arm extended with his hand still. Greig, driver of the engine, said he did not see the doors open, or he would have not the regulation signal, which was both arms held up; and he would not have obeyed it had he seen it. Also, he did not se the doors open, or he would have stopped regardless of signals. He said that no driver in the district would have accepted accused’s signals, and he had never accepted it except once, since the accident, and then under protest. Several other witnesses, including the station master at Upper Hutt, however, said that accused’s stop signal was larly used and recognised at Upper Hutt, and the driver Greig had acted on it.

A detective stated that, unknown to Greig, he had seen him act upon that signal. The Magistrate (Mr Walker), saying that Greig should have seen that the doors were open, dismissed the charge against Paulsen.