THE RAKAIA DISASTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6553, 2 August 1899, Page 1

THE RAKAIA DISASTER.

„ ' ■ : ♦— I A PETITION TO PARLIAMENT. i- . DRIVER CARTER'S ALLEGATIONS. > CFrom Oitk Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 1. . A. petition for relief from Charles Carter, : the driver involved in the Rakaia railway accident, , was presented by Mr Taylor this afternoon. The petitioner states that he 1 ihad no opportunity for placing the true '. circumstances of the case before the Com- ' mission. . The Cominissionei-s directed him to appear as an 'ordinary witness, and 1 told him that he would not require counsel. ' Under .these conditions, inexperience and |- want of education prevented him from J "getting out" the real. cause of the acci- ' dent, namely, defective air brakes. Mr Carter proceeds to state a series of points k which he says were not brought out before 5 the Commission. He details three cases \ of the failure of air brakes which occurred ' in Otago and Canterbury early in the preT sent year, both brakes "and engines being V similar to those involved in the- Rakaia collision. He alleges that in July last he informed the Superintending' Engineer that j his' tender, brake was out of order, but . nothing was done to it. He further states ' that since, the- Rukaia accident the slotted blocks , of the air brakes in the same class r of engine have been condemned by the De- \ partment and that new solid blocks have t been submitted, also that . the Dunedin . drivers had: been supplied with drawings qi.th.n- air brakes and detailed instruction's j ■ on their working,, while the Christchurch \ drivers 'at the time of the accident had not i • been so treated. After stating that the : . effects of the- accident have been to leave >■ '.him . : a ruined man, his defence having p .■swallowed-. up; his savings, 'Mr Carter con- ; eludes- by expressing the opinion that he t has been" made the scapegoat of unsuccessE M departmental experimenting' with Eng- - .lish air f brakes on American engines.: