THE TRAM SMASH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19849, 19 January 1920, Page 6

THE TRAM SMASH.

USE OF THE BRAKES.

Press Association-.!! Vi M,I,IN(ITOX, Jannarv ]D.

The inquiry into the Piris Street tram fatality this morn ing.

0. M’Cillivray, traffic manager, further examined hy Mr O'Shea, citr solicitor, sairl that to the, best of bin belief. the conductor had noticed Hi? excessive speed of the car as soon as anyone else on the car. If there mas any invention from any part of the world to obviate such accidents, he mould recommend such invention to the council, hut ho knew of none-

A lelegiaph messenger named White house said that, he ami another ■ hov saw the car travelling very fast near Austin Street, mid lie remarked that it appeared to he a runaway. The car kept, on past the stopping place, and appeared to he going faster. itvotttnally it left the line at Brougham Street. The motorman was lying down on the trout platform, face upwards. Matthew (able, assistant, gmieral manager of the tramways, and an electrical engineer with long experience, said that-he had examined the. car after the accident. The rear bogey wacompletely severed from the 'car, the holts of the centre plate were broken, and the brake connection between the body <d the car and the - truck was severed- The control apparatus was intact. Ibp hack of the car was rhe best position for the conductor, who thus could see that the car was clear before starting. He could also keep his eye on the trolley rope round (oiwos and passing jvlarce where neglect might he dangerous. The first duty of a conductor in event of a car attaining an excessive speed was to apply his hand brake. The general prncnep was 1 to continue at. compulsory stops if no one was alighting or intending to hoard (lie car. There wav no possibility of the motorman having been elect men ted. ,fudging t rnm the condition ct the brakes, if the eoudnci or wore in front of tho'ear it. would lie advisable for him i<> miply too power brake ip case of emergemy hut witness considered the hand hrak-' safer for an inexperienced person. The witimss added that he knew of no lief ter brake system in the Cubed Kingdom than that in use in 'Wellington, hut there was no provision for the possibility of the failure of the human ojunont. A young conductor would .tat e confidence in an old molorman, e-m cialh in such a case as the present whore he had spoken to the molo-mmi a few minutes enrher and found him m apparently good health. Thelapseof mx seconds such a grade meant an increase „f ( Pn ni ;|e s , in j,,,,,,. in ( | )( , *pred o, tne car. This incline was regarded as dangerous, but no special instruction* had been given to conductors lor conduct on that route. As a |ule on that, mute the conductor was rnl y occupied in the inside of the car. ami it was not '-('commended that the conductor should he instructed goiim down luai incline to m mi iin on the front or at the hack of the car to iDKO fiction 111 Cfl .* 0 of ( MIC I'^opr-y, hiie witness cnniiuucd that 'at pulsory stops u v-as the province of lue motonnan to decide whether the '•m- t-homd stoj, or not. |, would exit emely daugcious to suoolv cordmtors with duplicate emtrok ami lever: at the rear o| the car. The commdxwv i , UI) P wn ' fixi'c! Inla 1 nhuc Works Department, mid the late .or S.ieharason general manager ol the tramways, uefore the licence , v ,. issued Ihe compulsory stem at the iinnol was fixed so as, to enable Hm waken to he tested before femmem-inw the oesi-ent of tlm lull. The ari'miee moot entered into between the fioveniment and the Council was that the r should stop at rnnmTnn- .(nppin' places. 1-.TCU SO. thev , raintenanrer! ,i,~ men using their judgment in stir-h cases P'pviding llm car slowed op, 'l'he Austin street eompnhmv aion was ii-n vuled^ specifically for the sal'etv of -,'h,, mddu'-. If he had himself been a conutclo, ,iu tlio i.-ar passing Austin Street at nus.t) than normal cvul .ho would hate -lyuhc-d the hand brake. The ' uead men'- {-and hr,-;!>- “ was nut ;n>plicahle io onr ears, and lo ada'd' it would mean d bearding tin- whoic of present -y ;• •..