Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

STRUCK BY TRAIN
Death of Mr J. L Slater
Evidence at inquest 

In the Coroner's Court yesterday before Mr. J. A. .Murray, Coroner, evidence was taken from a railway guard at an inquest into the cause of death of James Leslie Slater, who died at the Wondai District Hospital , on November 12, 1934. The evidence showed that the injuries which caused Mr. Slater's death were received in a collision between a motor car and a train. Sergeant T. Brady conducted the inquest on behalf of the Crown, and Mr. J.  McLelland appeared in the interests of the Railway Department. Arthur William Hill, a railway guard, stationed at Maryborough, in evidence said he was relieving at Murgon on October 11. He left on a return journey from  Kingaroy at l2.30 p.m. on October, 11 in charge of a train for Murgon. He left Tingoora station at 1.55 p.m., for Wondai and the train was travelling about 20 miles per hour. About a quarter of a from the railway crossing at Tingoora speed was reduced. He noticed a motor car on the main road from Tingoora to Wondai travelling to Wondai. TURN TOWARDS CROSSING He noticed it turn towards the level crossing from the main road and then he lost sight of it. He could not see the car from the opposite side of the van. Witness jammed on his brakes and the driver did the same. The train was brought to a standstill about 25 yards from the crossing. That was after the train had passed over the crossing. Witness left the van and ran back to the crossing where he saw a motor car smashed up against the cattle grid, between the rails and the grid post. The driver of the car was lying below the car in
the cattle pit. The man, whom he had learned was Leslie Blater, appeared to be badly injured. Witness hailed a passing motor car and requested the driver to call at the Wondai Police Station and to ring up the Ambulance as a man had been badly injured. In the meantime two men, David Tierney and Burns, the driver and fireman of the train, came to the crossing. FIRST AID RENDERED Acting Ganger Kirkpatrick was there with his men who rendered  what aid they could to the injured man. A little later Dr. Nash arrived from Wondai. The injured man was attended by the doctor, put on to a railway stretcher and taken in the train to Wondai where he was taken to the hospital. Slater died in the hospital on the following day. Before the train arrived at the crossing witness heard the driver sound his whistle and he believed that whistle could be heard by a person driving a car over the crossing. The driver of the car could have seen the train approaching for a distance of 44 chains. Questioned by Mr. McLelland. witness said warning boards were placed on each side of the crossing. A man driving on the main road and turning into the crossing would have a good view of the warning board as it would be right in front of him. Questioned by the Bench, witness said the car was roughly 400 yards from the crossing when the driver blew the whistle.