I.—6a.

58

S. KENNEDY.

22. That is if you knexv; but we are talking now about a man who had a not too intimate knowledge of the road? —I said that I xvould pull up if 1 did not know the road. 23. If you knexv the road would you run at fifteen miles an hour? 1 would run at fifteen miles an hour while I knew the road, and allow myself sufficient time to stop at the home signal. 21. Supposing you are timed to cross a train at a crossing station and you cannot see. would you stop before you fouled the home signal? Would you run in so that you could stop there dead? —I would not stop before I got to the home signal, but I would come in at such a speed that I could stop. 25. You would not assume that tho main line was clear, would vou?—Yes, but I would not assume that the signal w r as clear. 26. Whero would you assume the main lino was clear to? —Between the two. home signals. 27. Why would you assume that?—Beoauso Rule 158 provides for it being clear in case oi a fog. 28. What about Rule 157 —"No engine or vehicle must be shunted or moved from one main line to the other, or from the main lino into a siding, or from a siding on to the main lino, or allowed to stand on main line, unless protected by the proper signals, exhibited as max be required": would you say that a man is not justified, when he has got his van! protected by proper signals, in having something on the main lino under that rule? Yes, lie is justified if ho has it protected by proper signals, which include fog-signals. 29. You know Rule 83. " Home signal may not be passed at danger " : is not that a proper protection? —Not in case of a fog. 30. What other protection would you have? A fog-signalman out, with detonating signals placed on the rail. 31. If the fog is so thick that it is necessary for the man in charge of the station to put out fog-signals, is it not sufficiently thick to necessitate the engine-driver also taking extra precautions? —That is so. 32. If you were an engine-driver and the fog was as thick as that, you would take extra precautions—you xx'ould not run blindly?— Certainly not. 33. You knoxv rule No. 5, " The first and most important duty of every member of the service is to provide for tho safety of the public "? —Yes. 34. Mr, Hive.] Supposing that as a driver you saw an obstacle 30 yards ahead, at what speed would you have to be travelling to pull the train up so as to avoid any danger to your train?—l could only guess. I should say you could do it at seven mile an hour, or perhaps more. 35. Have you any speedometers on the trains? —Some of our trains have, but I do not think this train would have one. 36! You have no reliable method of gauging your mileage if you are not on a line that is known to you?—No; it is just left to tho judgment of the engine-driver himself as to what he thinks he is running. 37. Mr. Sykes.] Do you think all engines should be equipped xvith a speedometer?— Well, disregarding the fact of expense and maintaining and providing them. I think if would he a splendid idea. 38. They are an expensive apparatus?— Very expensive, and take a good deal of maintenance. 39. But does a competent engine-driver feel safe without a speedometer? Yes. It would have made no difference on a morning like that in question, because when the speed is reduced in a fog a driver xvould never think of looking at his speedometer. Tie has his head outside the cab looking for xvhat he can see. 40. The Chairman.] Or should have? —It is generally a very anxious time for a driver when running in a fog and approaching a station. Besides, the ter is not w\y reliable at a very low speed. They will register better when you have been running for some time at a regular speed, but the speedometer will not show it as quickly as the s] 1 is reduced. Some register for twelve seconds and some for live seconds, and you can have your speed reduced very greatly in five seconds, and it xvould not bo shown on the speedometer. 41. Mr. Dickson.] Do you know whether any complaints have been made this year in connection with the way they carried out the work at New Lynn in regard to putting that train on the main line?—-I understand there were some reports about it. Drivers have complained at Nexv Lynn to the men doing the work, and objected to shunt the train in the manner it was shunted that morning. 42. Do you know that as late as February an engine-driver pn that train refused to do it, as ho considered it was contrary to the regulations? -Yes, I was told by a driver that he had refused to do it. If was previous to the New Lynn collision, but I could no! say the date. 43. After hearing the evidence do you consider it should have been necessary for the Depart merit to place fog-signals on the line that morning? -As an engine-driver from the Smith Island I must say I was very much surprised to hear that fog-signals were not used that morning at New Lynn. 11. After seeing ihe plans and grades. .| ( , you consider that' New Lvnn should he classed as a station at the foot of a grade or near the fool of a grade?- I have n,', hesitation in declaring that New Lynn is near the foot of a grade. 15. Therefore it would have been necessary according to tho rules to have v signals on a morning like that?—l do not think that fog-signals apply any mm ir the foot of a grade than to any other station. 46. Then you consider some one xvas breaking the regulations by fouling the main line as tho station was at the foot of a grade as the other train was coming in?— The regulation provides that no- train is allowed to foul the main line between the home signals unless it is blocked on to the section in advance when it is on a grade or near the foot of a grade.