RAILWAY FATALITY

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXVI, Issue 7910, 3 October 1929, Page 2

RAILWAY FATALITY

DEATH OF INSPECTOR OF WAYS THE CORONER’S FINDING i PURELY ACCIDENTAL The inquest concerning the death of Mr Richard John Perry, acting inspector of permanent ways, who was fatally injured when a motor jigger which he was driving from Tauranga came into collision with the 11.15 a.m. train from Waihi near the Waimata station on September ICth, was concluded before the district coroner, Mr W. M. Wallnutt) yesterday. The evidence was led by Sergeant D. L. Calwell, Mr C. N. O’Neill (Thames) appearing for the relatives of the deceased and Mr P. Cording (Frankton Junction) for the Railway Department. The inquest was opened on September 17th, but was adjourned after evidence of identification had been given by Mrs Perry. William Robert Wilson, engine driver, Paeroa, stated that he was in chax-ge of the engine which came into collision with the jigger. The accident occurred when the train was going down the Athenree bank. Visibility was bad at the time and the mishap occurred at a very acute turn in a higli cutting. Witness was warned by the fireman of the approach of the jigger and pulled up the train within its own length. The speed would have been from 17 to 18 miles an hour. The train was travelling up to schedule time. To Mr O’Neill: The throttle had been shut off about two miles back as they were going down hill. The train would not have made much noise.

SAW JIGGER TOO LATE Frederick George Smarden, actingengine driver, also of Paeroa, said that he was fireman on the train that day. He saw the velocipede when it was eight or ten yards away and immediately warned the driver, who applied the brakes and pulled up within three-quarters of the length of the train. Mr Perry was carried some distance on the buffer. The speed of the train would have been between 18 and 20 miles an hour.

To Mr O’Neill: It was a clear day. He could not say whether there was a wind blowing at the time. The accident occurred completely in the cutting. The guard, Michael Ryan, of Hamilton East, said he did not see Mr Perry until after the train had stopped. The injured man was removed from the cowcatcher and taken on to Athe’nree, being conveyed thence to Waihi by another train. Mr Perry was attended to by a doctor at the Waihi station. In answer to Mr O’Neill, witness said the accident happened inside the cutting, though the engine was outside when the train pulled up. Prank Costello, farmer, Tauranga road, said he was working about twenty chains away and saw a man, travelling very fast on a jigger, enter the cutting. Latr he heard a crash. The jigger would have heeiv travelling at about 2 0 miles an hour, and the train at its usual speed.

TERRIBLE INJURIES The depositions of Dr. J. McMurray Cole were that he attended Mr Perry at the station and found that ho was suffering from very severe injuries to both legs, the right arm and the head. Further examiantion at the hospital showed that Mr Perry had a compound fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain, while, among other injuries, both logs were fractured. Mr Perry did not rally after treatment, and died that afternoon of shock and haemorrhage, his injuries having been consistent with his having been struck by a train.

Francis Joseph Whelan, road foreman employed by the Railway Department, Frankton Junction, stated that he was riding in the engine in connection with his duties. He was standing near the driver and did not see the velocipede at all, but could say that the train was pulled up immediately the driver received the fireman's warning. The speed of the train would have been about 20 miles an hour. Witness had ridden on jiggers and would assume that the speed at which Mr Perry was travel-ling-would have been about 12 miles an hour on that grade. To his knowledge Mr Perry had been in the service at least 25 years, lie had no knowledge of his duties on that particular day.

ACUTE CURVE IN LINE Wilfred John Lithorland, assistant engineer, Auckland, said he had examined the locality in which Mr Perry met his death, and had prepared a plan (produced). The curve in the cutting was acute, and the engine had been travelling on a down grade of 1 in 60. Witness considered that Mr Perry had been engaged on bis ordinary duties at the time of the accident, and if ho had been stationed at Tauranga that part of the line would have been in his district. The cutting was about 38 feet deep in the middle, which meant that it was about 50 feet high on one side and 20 feet on the other.

Evidence was given by John Thomas Phillips, porter, Katikati, of his having seen Mr Perry on the Katikati station on the Kith. They were talking about trucks, and as Hie inspector was leaving at 10.45 o’clock be said bo would ‘‘just dodge along to the next gang,” adding: “I’m about half an hour ahead of the 3.32.” That was the train coming from Tauranga. No reference was made to the train coming the other way. All otiieiais travelling on the railway carried timetables. Til is concluded the evidence, after which Mr O’Neill said that his chief i concern was that the finding of the | coroner did not. in any way pre-J judice any claim for compensation < that might be made. He submitted that there was no evidence of negligence on the part of the deceased or of any of the others concerned.

NOBODY BLAMEWORTHY "The evidence is absolutely conclusive that this was a purely, accidental occurrence,” said, the coroner. It was admitted, tha,£ deceased had had" long thy experience on the railways, and that he would be alive to any possible dangers and take such steps as he thought advisable to

avoid them. The cutting in which I the accident occurred was a very acute one, and was certainly a dangerous corner. The evidence of Mr Phillips was important because it showed that Mr Perry had recognised the danger from one point, but he had omitted to mention the danger from the other direction, and it was quite apparent that he had no idea that any danger existed when going from Katikali. The evidence also showed that the engine driver had acted as quickly as possible in the circumstances, and the whole affair bad been a matter of but a few seconds. He had no hesitation in saying that no blame was attachable to I anyone. The verdict would be Mr Perry died on September IGth of in- | juries received when the jigger which he was riding came into collision with the train, i\o, blame being attachable to anyone.

The egroner congratulated the police on the very comprehensive manner In which the accident had been investigated.