V. WHISKEE.

63

I.—6a.

78. Does fog-signalling apply to any station when there is a fog?—l am running through stations all night long in light fog, and no signalling has been done. 79. Do you consider that fog-signalling as provided in the rule-book applies to any station in the New Zealand railways? —That rule-book applies to every station. 80. You have rules from 148 to 156 : do you consider that those rules regarding fog-signals do not apply to New Lynn? —It is left to the Traffic Inspector and District Traffic Manager to appoint fog-signalmen whore it is necessary. The rules provide tor the men to lie appointetd, and when a fog occurs they arc supposed to carry out fog-signalling. 81. Do those rules apply to Now Lynn when there is a fog? I have said the\ apply to every station. 82. Then you admit they apply to New Lynn in case of fog? Yes. I suppose they do, but I do not admit that a fog did prevail. 83. If a dense fog did prevail would the lidos apply? —If there was a dense fog they would apply to Nexv Lynn, but mind, I do not admit there was a dense fog. 84. If there was a dense fog it does apply? —Yes. 85. And therefore fog signals should have been used?— Yes. 86. If you had been the driver of No. (i that morning and there was a dense fog you would have expected to have fog-signals put out before you reached the home signal? Yes. if there was a dense fog. 87. Supposing there was a dense fog that morning at New Lynn, was the man who dnw No. 5 up to tho top end of the yard close to the signal and attempted to drag it into the siding, was he complying with tho regulations?— Yes, I consider so. 88. You consider he was not breaking the regulations?—No, I do not. SO. In the absence of those signals outside the home signal, and assuming there was a dense fog, was that train being properly worked in shunting? —If the detonators were outside that signal they were perfectly justified in shunting. 90. But if they were not out?— Yes, I still contend they were justified in shunting if the driver of No. 6 did his duty. 91. If there was a heavy fog would those men li,' complying with the regulations if shunting without detonators being out?—No, not without fog-signallers. 92. And therefore if there was a dense fog they were breaking the rules? —But I do not admit there was a heavy fog. 93. There is a dense fog at New Lynn and No. 5 comes in : No. 0 is blocked on from Waikumete to go into Nexv Lynn: are the men at that station complying with the regulations if they allow No. sto draw right up to the home signal without detonator-, out ? No, not if there is a dense fog. 94. You have been driving for about ten or eleven years? —Yes. 95. Mr. McVilly has draxvn your attention'to Rule 211, which provides for trains approaching terminal stations?— Yes. 96. Do you cross trains on the Main Trunk? —Yes, several. 97. How many do you cross in a day?— About seven a day. 98. You drop down from a steep grade at the foot of the Spiral going north?— Yes. 99. Do you ever cross a train there?— Sometimes—nots —not very often 100. And do you enter that station so that you can stop with the hand-brake? —No, I do not, because xve have a continuous brake; but if tho continuous brake went wrong I would have arrangements made to be able to stop with some of the car-brakes before I got past that signal. 101. You could stop with your hand-brake?—l would make arrangements to have some assistance. 102. Supposing it failed instantly ?-—lt is impossible for a hand-brake to hold fourteen ears on the Spiral. 103. Now, do you always, when you are running into a station where you cross another train, run into that station at a speed that if necessary you could stop with the hand-brake before fouling the other train?—As I have already said, there is no tender brake that will hold fourteen cars on the Spiral; SO that if I was crossing a train at I'aurimu it would be impossible for me to stop the train with the hand-br 104. This rule was in the old rule-book before we had the Westinghouse brake?—l think probably it was. 105. And probably, that is the reason it is here now ? I dare say it is. 106. Have you seen a large fog on the Main Trunk line?— Yes, there is a lair amount of log and fairly dense. 107. Is the regulation with regard to fog-signalling carried mi on the Main Trunk?—l cannot say I have ever soon it that dense that 1 have expected to find fog-signals, and in the two cases where I saw fog-signals I was surprised to lind the men there. It was' a very light fog. 108. You spoke of a dense fog?— Fairly dense. 109. Were there any fog-signals mil then when the log was fairly dense? I have said I did not expect them. 110. There are a good many curves on the Main Trunk line?— Yes. 111. And pretty sharp also? —Yes, fairly so. 112. If you are running on. say. a left-hand curve with a big X engine, how far could you see the line ahead of you? —Not very far ; but the fireman could Bee a fair distance. 113. How fill do you think you could sic? Probably an engine's length. There are some 7-chain curves and practically straight cuttings on each side. 114. That xvould be about 20 ft.*? —Somewhere about that. 115. The fireman is frequently firing when running? -Not when going down.