I.—6a.

44

pW. F. ENGLAND.

65. lion. Mr. Herries.] It has been stated by previous witnesses that people in the vicinity expected a collision at any time. As a man who knows the road, did you think you might have a collision at any time? —I did not. 66. Mr. Veitch.] Is it not a fact that there is a rule which says that the fireman shall always act under the instructions of the driver? —That is so. 67. So that, although you quite reoognize it is your duty to assist the driver in every possible way and to warn him of possible danger, you should not be required to accept the responsibility, seeing that you are only employed to act under tho instructions of your mate? —That is so. (iS. Mr. Green.] With regard to this Hat. do you know where the grade really starts after Now Lvnn going towards Henderson ? —1 should say it would start a little over the bridge. 69. Have you any idea what the grade is? —I should say it is very small. 70. Can you tell the Committee whore it was that you first ran into the fog?— Coming down the bank. It was a light fog there. 71. Was it worse just where the collision took place?—lt was thicker down there. 72. You could not have soon the signal if you had boon looking for it?—l could not see it on my side at all. Wai.tki; .Inmks Cahk sworn and examined. (No. 15.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your occupation? —Guard. 2. And your address? —Henderson. 3. .1/. McVilly.] You wore guard on train No. (i on the 28th May r—Yes. 4. Do you remember shunting the train at Henderson? —Yes. 5. Was there any special incident in connection with the shunting that fixed itself in your mind—when you were putting the engine back on to the train?— After it coupled up and came back on to the other five cars I gave the signal to pull out and the driver could not pull out : the brakes wore hard on. Ii an along to see the cause of it, and right at the end of the rear vehicle the tap was partly open and the air was escaping. I lifted that up. and after about a minute I gave the driver the signal to pull out, and he pulled out. The brakes wore released from the engine. That is the only incident. 6. You practically tested the brake then?— Yes, practically. 7. You are quite sure the brake was all right at that particular time —that is, after you shut Ihe cock off ? —Yes. 8. What was the position of your train that morning? We had a total of eight cars. '.). What weight?— About 130 tons. I could not say exactly. 10. What engine did you have?—W.\. 11. Driver Corich? —Yes 12. Who was the fireman? —Walter England. 13. What hour did you leave Henderson? —At 6.35. 14. What was the weather like?— Clear. 15. Before you loft Henderson, after you had gone up to the platform, did you test the brakes again in accordance with the rule?— Yes, I put them on and released them, and then the Stationmaster gave me the tablet. I wont along again and examined all the brakes again, and found they wore all right. 16. You are quite satisfied, then, that when you left Henderson the Westinghouse was coupled right through your train and in good order? —Yes. 17. Did you look to the air-pressure when you left ? —Yes. 18. What was it?—7s lb. 19. Did you do any shunting on the road?— No. 20. Did you stop at Waikumete? —Yes. 21. What time did you leave there?—At 6.44. 22. What did you do when you left Waikumete? —I started in the front of the train to go through and collect the tickets and cheek the passengers. 23. What car did you get on? —The front car. 24. Was there anything unusual on the run down there that morning before you reached Now Lynn?—Nothing unusual. 25. Did the train run at the usual speed? —Just the usual speed. 26. Mr. Thomas, I think, stated that at one particular place on the run down there was a very severe lurch : did you feel that?—l felt a lurch at the Titirangi crossing, just at that curve. I was standing up. and I went in towards the car. 27. At that particular place did you think the speed was excessive at all?—No, not an excessive speed. I looked through the window and saw where wo were, ami I thought the driver was pulling at the signal. 28. That is at the bottom—l mean, at Scroggy Hill? —Scroggy Dill is away up farther than this crossing. I did not feel anything until I got to the crossing. 29. What speed do you reckon the driver proceeded at down that hill that mornin<* down the whole grade? —At that time when I first noticotl it would lie fifteen to twenty miles an hour. I should say. 30. Did you notice him whistling at all on the way down?—l remember hearing the whistle on one occasion. 31. Was there anything in connection with the handling of the brake to draw your attention to the way in which the train was being worked? —Nothing whatever. 32. Was the train handled roughly or handled well? —There was nothing rough about the brake until the lurch.