[T. W. MORTIMER.

I.—6a.

48

between the home-signal posts must not be obstructed except to allow a train arriving from the opposite direction to enter the station." Do you consider that applies to New Lynn?—No. 40. For what reason ? —Because it is not at tho foot of a grade. 41. Noxv, what were the weather-conditions when No. 5 arrived? —Very clear round about the station. 42. Hoxv far could you see?— From 200 to 250 yards. 43. Did you look out to tho north after No, 5 had pulled down from the tanks?— Yes. 44. Could you see the north home signal then? —Yos, I could see it faintly. 45. Could you see it with sufficient distinctness to be able to say that the signal-arm was showing " Danger "?—Yes. 46. What distance do you think that was from where you were?—l would take it to be about 300 yards. 47. Did you consider that the driver of No. 6 xvould have any difficulty in picking up the home signal that morning?— No. 48. Suppose the weather-conditions had been so bad as to require additional signal precautions, what would you have done?—l xvould have taken tho precaution to call my mate, got assistance from No. 5. and instructed him to go outside the home signal with detonators. 49. Could you not have used the train-running men in case of emergency?— Yes, on that particular morning, because they were well on time. 50. What would you have given them—detonators?— Yes. 51. Had you detonators, flags, and band-lamp at the station?— Yes. 52. Had you that morning sufficient appliances to enable you to work the fog-signals had it been necessary ? —Yes. 53. Did you consider the conditions such as to warrant you in sending men out with fogsignals?—No. 54. Where wore you at the time of the collision?—l was standing opposite the signal-levers. 55. Can you say positively that at that moment the levers were both locked to put the home signals at " Danger "? —Yes. 56. Did you take a note of the time? —Yes. I was standing there as usual waiting for the guard to give mo the signal that it was clear and points were locked : the time was 6.48 J. 57. That xvas four and a minutes from the time No. 5 had arrived?— Yes. 58. It has boon said that No. 5 stood on the main line that morning for four minutes after pulling from the tank ?—Yes. 59. That could not have been correct according to the time you took? —No. 60. If the fog had boon as dense as has been represented—that is, that tho driver had a difficulty in seeing more than 20 yards—xvould you have expected him to carry out Rule 208?— Yes, I would expect him to carry out that rule. 61. You have heard the statements made by some witness that there was no discipline at the Nexv Lynn Station? —Yes. 62. Under the departmental instructions, the tablet porter is responsible for the discipline of the station, is he not? —Yes. 63. And the guard and train men are under his direction xvhen at a station?— That is so. 64. Have you at any time had any difficulty at all in getting the guards or tho assistants to carry out your instructions? —No. 65. Suppose any difficulty had occurred, what action would you have taken?—l xvould have reported the matter. 66. In your experience do the train men work harmoniously for the purpose of pushing on and forwarding the conditions at Now Lynn?—Yes. 67. It has been stated in evidence that there have been a number of cases in xvhich accidents have boon narroxvlv averted? —Not to my knowledge since 1 have been at New Lynn. 68. Has there ever been any occasion to your knowledge on which tho driver has ignored the " Danger " signal at Now Lynn?—No. 69. It has been stated that the tablet porters at New Lynn are overworked : do you consider yourself overxvorked ?-—No. 70. Have you ever complained of being overxvorked? —No. 71. Have you ever had occasion to? —No. 72. Taking the duties all round, do they place any Croat tax on the tablet men at New Lvnn? —No. 73. When trains are in you have to hustle round?— Yes, but only for a few minutes. 74. You consider you can do all the duties when the trains are in with perfect safetv?—Yes —that is, with myself and assistance off trains. 75. The statement xvas made that passengers find a difficulty in obtaining tickets at Nexv Lynn and sometimes have to join trains without them. Is that the result of your being overworked or the result of tho passengers coming late? —The passengers coming late. 76. Then you find that passengers who require tickets do not come down in time to get them? Sometimes not until the train is timed to be out of the station. 77. Mr. Dickson.] You generally have about four or five minutes for attending to those trains? —Yes. 78. How many workers' tickets do you issue on a Monday morning?—At that time wo wore issuing about ninety-five tickets. 79. How many would you issue for that particular train out of the ninety-five?—T have made a mistake. There are from ninety-five to a hundred on that particular morning, but not for that particular train. 80. How many do you issue for that particular train? —It would be very hard to say. I never kept a tally for each train.