RAILWAY FATALITY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 39, 10 February 1912, Page 5

RAILWAY FATALITY.

LOCAL BODIES’ LIABILITY

r (Por 'Press AssoeiatnTfi'l

Christchurch, February 9

The inquest on the bodies of the victims of the Styx railway crossing accident, Marshall Brown and' Peter Fransden, was held by the Coroner (Mr W. H. Bishop, S.M.j to-day. Robert Pringle, ■ railway enginedriver, said he was in charge of the midday train from Christchurch to Rangiora on Wednesday. Three hundred yards from the crossing witness blew the whistle, and then again fifty yards from the crossing. The last whistle was in answer to the stacionmaster’s signals. Immediately before the engine entered the crossing the fireman sang out “Look out!” Witness applied the brake, and the next instant he saw a motor car and the cow-catcher meeting. Other evidence was given as to the speed of the car approaching the crossing, the collision and smash up of the car, and the death' of the occupants.

The Coroner said it was quite clear it was one of “these unfortunate accidents.” Whatever speed might be proved did not alter the fact that there md been a calamity. He lhad himself been over the crossing scores of times, and it was a dangerous one. All crossings were dangerous. In reply to an interjection from Mr Stringer, K.C., who appeared for the Railway Department, the Coroner said he knew the Railway Department had statutory right with regard to crossings, and cars should pull up when crossing them, “but we all take risks,’ ’said he. Mr Stringer said he wished to point out a fact which the public generally, and probably even the Automobile Association did not know. It was that the Public Works Amendment Act, 1911, threw upon the local authority the duty of seeing that fences,’ hedges, etc., of the nature in question, were removed.

The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased met their death by accidentally colliding with a train when travelling in their motor car from Kangiora to Christchurch.