APPLEBY COACH ACCIDENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2115, 14 February 1908, Page 2

APPLEBY COACH ACCIDENT.

THE ADJOURNED INQUEST. Press Association. NELSON, Feb. 13. The inquest on the Appleby coach and railway fatality, on February lst, was resumed to-day. ivkeu the Railway Department, Newman Bros', coach proprietors, Charles Bricklami, coach driver, and the relatives of Miss Fittal, one of the injured passengers, were represented by counsel. The evidence of the railway oftieials was to the effect that the train which wrecked the coach was a passenger special, which was not-to stop at Appleby unless there were passengers to be picked up, and as there were none the train proceeded at reduced speed. Before it reached thccrossing as usual the whistle was sounded by the driver. Stevens, the guard, the driver, 'and the fireman saw the coach approaching the line, and concluded that the coach driver had seen the train and would stop. He, however, came oil, and did not appear to be aware of his danger until within about 6ft of tile line and was just about? to take the crossing. The engine driver and fireman stated that he then rose from his seat ai d urged the horses forward. The horses cleared the rails, and the engine caught the coach amidships. The guard had applied his brake simultaneously with the alarm w ic~ tles of the driver, but the train tan a considerabel distance before it could bo pulled up. The coach vvrs carried into a cattle stop, where Miss Walters was found in an uncmsoious condition. The body of Mrs. further. She was killed instantly. M iss Tittal was found clear of the line, having been thrown a considerable distance. Bricklnnd, the driver, who was seriously injured internally, was stateil to have said, when picked up, that it was a funny tiling he had not seen the train approaching. Other witnesses stated that the crossing was an open one, with i othiiig to impede the view from the box of s> coach.. The inquest was adjourned until to-morrow, and a further adjournment. will probably lie necessary to secure the evidence of Briekhin l. who will be unable to appear dr some weeks.