61

I.—9a

H. CABTBE.

311 You might read on to the next paragraph?—" Auckland cars underbraked Further, it was found that with the hardest possible application it was not possible to carry more than 26 per cent, of the weight of the loaded car upon the slipper of the trackbrake. The combined errors of the underestimation of the weight of the cars and the over-estimation of the mechanical advantage of the brake gear (the efficiency of which, according to the drawing supplied, had been taken at unity), had resulted in the cars upon the Auckland system being distinctly underbraked, and much of the trouble which has arisen in connection with the brakes was immediately accounted for It was decided that before further trials were made the brake-leverage on car No. 75 should, as a temporary expedient, be increased to an extent which would give block-pressures more comparable with the weight of the car This was done, and, although the full benefit which should have been derived therefrom was not, on account of the structural weakness of the gear, obtained, a vastly improved control resulted." 312. Were you a motorman of that car No. 75 when that experiment was made? —No. 313. Do you know who was?— Yes. 314. Was he a competent motorman?—Yes. 315. Coming to the two accidents on College Hill and Victoria Street, do you think those cars were sufficiently braked? —No. 316. Do you think car No. 75 was sufficiently braked when it weighed 42 per cent, more than what it had been braked for ?—We find the brake is now satisfactory as it stands. 317 That is after the leverage was extended?— There was an extension of the leverage as well, and since then the car has worked very well. 318. Do you know car No. 31 ?—Yes. 319. There was a fatal accident with that car, I believe?—l do not remember 320. The Coroner's jury held that the accident occurred through a defective brake? —Yes. That was when Mr Whitehouse was driving. 321 Coming back to the two accidents at Victoria Street and College Hill, do you think those accidents could have been avoided if the car had been sufficiently braked?—l think the one at Nelson Street might have been avoided if the brake had been instantaneously effective. An overloaded car with passengers interferes with the brake-rods working It tends to force the body of the car down so that the rods of the brake gear touch on the motor-case. 322. If you had a car overloaded 42 per cent., such as this car No. 75 was, and the brake provided for was 24,0801b. when it weighted 36,7361b., would that brake be able to pull up the car in the same distance as it would if sufficiently braked?—No, if there is 12,0001b. difference in the braking-gear it must have a direct effect upon the stopping of the car 323 Or even if there was only half of that difference —say, 6,000 lb? —Yes. 324. Suppose you have a car braked to carry fifty-six passengers, and it is loaded up to ninety or a hundred passengers, and you were coming down College Hill with the hand-brakes you have, do you think the brakes would be sufficient for such a load going down College Hill?— No. 325. Would the gear be safe?—No, at the speed. 326. Have you known of any runaways in Auckland? —Yes. Car No. 39, which caused the Kingsland accident, was the first double-decked car that had two motors put in Previous to that all double-decked cars had four motors. I was taken off my ordinary run to test this car on two consecutive evenings, and on each of the evenings the hand-brake failed. 327 Mr M Myers ] When was that? —I cannot give you the date, but I will fix it for you presently The second evening, on coming down by the Cemetery Bridge I felt a little difficulty with the brake, and came to the top of Wellesley Street very slowly Coming down the hill, the chain fastened to the brake-staff mounted and caught in a bolt that holds the sand-gear, with a result that I could neither put the brake on nor take it off. There was a drizzly rain, and the emergency brake was not effective. The result was that I went right down the hill and over the points across Queen Street. Mr Hansen, who was managing director, was at the bottom, and asked me what was the matter, and I told him the brake had failed. 328. Hon. Mr B McKenzie.~\ Are brake-failures a common occurrence in Auckland? —Yes, they were fairly common. 329. What time of the day would that be? —Half past 5 in the afternoon. 330. Generally speaking, is there a fairly good crowd of people passing there? —Yes, there is heavy traffic there. 331. Can you fix the date of that runaway?—lt was the same day as Inspector Mcllwain burned the switch out in Wellesley Street. 332. Are there any runaways that the public never hear of? —Plenty that the motormen never report. 333 Would they put it in the car report-book ?—They may, and may not. As a rule things like that are reported, because people see them, but if not they are passed over 334. When runaways are common, do you think that has a tendency to public safety?—No, it is. perfectly unsafe. I gave evidence before the Brakes Commission that the present brakes are obsolete. 335. What would you consider a reasonable number of strap-hangers for a car licensed to carry fifty-six? Say there was provision made for fourteen? —I think it would be better not to have strap-hangers at all. 336 But, asuming it was necessary in wet weather or during a busy season? —I should say, half a dozen—three at each end. 337 How many seats are there in each compartment?— There are a few less in the smokers than in the others. 338. You say three at each end —that is six altogether? —Not more than that.