Kin Hay arrived in New Zealand in 1880. He worked in a market garden in what is now known as Brockville and he was able to visit his wife back in China once while he was living in New Zealand.
He is buried in Dunedin's Southern Cemetery. A number of new stones have been placed there in recent years but, as far as I know (being unable to read them), his is not one of them.
A FATAL TRAM ACCIDENT.
A CABLE CAR OVERTURNED.
ONE PASSENGER KILLED.
A NUMBER INJURED
[Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, Oct. 26. While the 9.30 a.m. Roslyn car was on its way to town this morning, the grippers failed to catch the rope. The efforts of the lineman were unavailing, owing to the greasy nature of the rail in consequence of the rain. The car sped like lightning down the track. Nine passengers were on board. One of them, a boy, jumped off, and escaped with slight bruises. When opposite to the Roman Catholic Church a Chinaman, named Kin Hey, who is believed to have jumped off, was thrown against an iron fence and killed. A piece of bone seven inches long was knocked out of the front of his forehead. Opposite the Shamrock Hotel the car turned over, the passengers being underneath. The three most severely injured were removed to the hospital. They are Alexandrina Matheson, who sustained injuries to her back, spine and chest, and will probably recover; Kathleen Moore (her niece), who is unconscious, and is suffering from a slight concussion of the brain; and Lay Ling, suffering from a concussion of the brain, with a scalp wound and a general shock to his system. -Star, 27/10/1900.
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| Early photo of a cable car on Rattray St with St Joseph's cathedral behind. To the right of the camera would be the Otago Girls High School fence, the site of Kin Hay's death. |
ROSLYN TRAMWAY ACCIDENT.
A CHINAMAN KILLED.
FIVE PERSONS INJURED.
A deplorable accident occurred on the Roslyn Tram Company's cable line this morning. No. 4 car, driven by James McIntosh, (residing in Russell-street), left the Ann street starting point, on the top of the hill, at 9.30, with six passengers on board. Three more were picked up at Ross street. The car safely reached the engine shed, and went a few yards further towards town, to a point close to the transfer table. Here the passengers were requested to change to No. 7 car, and they did so. No. 7 car was at the time standing on the brakes. McIntosh, the driver, jumped on first, looked at his brakes, saw the passengers safely, on board, and then released the brakes slightly so as to give the car a little more play, intending to pick up the rope a few yards down the line. This was his custom. When first started, the car began to run slowly. She soon began to make more headway, but the driver did not dream of any danger, believing that he could control her with the brakes. This condition of affairs lasted till the car reached the brow of the hill leading into the cutting which is crossed by a footbridge. McIntosh was still confident that he had the vehicle in hand. As proof of this confidence on the driver's part, it may be mentioned that just before coming to the brow of the steep incline he noticed that a boy who was amongst the passengers was about to jump off, and he sang out to the boy something to the effect that it was all right, meaning that he had better hold on. Getting fairly on to the steep incline the car quickly gathered speed, and in fact ran away. The rope had not been caught. At the Cathedral corner one of the three Chinamen who were on board leaped off and, being thrown against the galvanised iron fence at the back of the Girls' High Sohool ground, he was immediately killed. The driver still believed, in spite of the great speed at which the car was running, that he could control her with the brakes, and to prove this it may be remarked that at the Shamrock corner he actually took some of the pressure off the slipper brake, thinking that the car would thereby run easier round that curve. This was almost at the moment of the car's overturning. She came sharply round, on her broad side, away from Curtis's shop, and overset in the middle of the road, imprisoning the driver and the passengers who had hung on during the sensational descent. Numbers of willing hands from the crowd lifted the car off the persons underneath her, and it was found that they had all escaped with their lives; in fact, considering the circumstances, marvellously little injury was done, though, of course, all concerned were more or less shaken.
The cause of the transference of the passengers from No. 4 car was that the company's blacksmith, James Reid, wanted to overhaul her. No. 7 was one of the ordinary cars, and had been running for some time, and was in perfect order. Even after the accident the brakes were tested and found to work all right.
James McIntosh, the driver, has been in the company's service for about twelve months, and for nine months has been in the position of driver. During this time he has met with no mishap of any importance, and we have the authority of Mr Hugh McColl, the company's track and traffic foreman, for saying that McIntosh was looked upon as one of their best men. He is a strong man, between twenty-three and twenty-four years of age, active, and thoroughly acquainted with his work. He hung on to his post to the very last, and by all accounts kept quite cool. When seen by one of our reporters this morning, a couple of hours after the accident, he had recovered from the dazed condition in which he was when picked up, and was able to dictate his account of the occurrence. His only injury is a bruised hip.
There was another of the company's hands on the car at the time — Henry Downes, a car cleaner. He had just finished cleaning No. 7, and took his passage on her to town.
AT THE HOSPITAL. Four of the nine passengers were conveyed from the car to the hospital, where they were treated. They are Miss Alexandrina Mathieson (who lives in Kaikorai with her married sister), Mrs Moore, Miss Katharine Moore (aged about eighteen years, who is supposed to be a neice of the former and who lives in the same locality), Kin Hay (who was a gardener in the employ of Sun Duck, gardener, of Kaikorai), and Lai Ling (who works at the same garden).
The Chinaman Kin Hay, who is said to have jumped off the car as it came down the hill at full speed, was killed — in fact, death must have been instantaneous. From all accounts he made a flying leap off the car just below the Cathedral, landing with terrific force upon the galvanised iron fence which is at the side of the road. His skull was fractured, a great piece of bone about 3 1/2in long and lin broad being knocked out. The wound is about 7in long, and wide, the grey brain within being exposed. The spot where the unfortunate man was thrown presented a gruesome appearance.
Miss Mathieson remained in the car to the end. She has sustained a severe shock, and, in addition, has received injuries to her spine and the rear of her chest, from which, however, no serious consequences are apprehended.
Miss Moore is still unconscious. She has sustained slight concussion of the brain and some injuries to the skull; but at present no dangerous developments are feared.
The other Chinaman in hospital, Lai Ling, has concussion of the brain and some scalp wounds. He also suffers from general shock. He is semi-conscious at present, but hopes are entertained of his recovery. He was identified, as also was his less fortunate countryman, by two Chinamen who came to the hospital for this purpose.
Harry Downes, the cleaner who was on board the car, sustained no severe injuries, his only hurts being some bruises on the legs and ankles. He was treated at the hospital, but did not need to remain.
There was a third Chinese passenger, who apparently escaped unhurt, as he did not go to the hospital His name is Lao Goo, and he was employed with his countrymen at Sun Duck's garden.
THE DRIVER'S STATEMENT. The driver, McIntosh, made this statement to the police: — "I left the station at James street at 9.30 a.m., when I had on board two women, three Chinamen, and a boy. On going down to Ross street I picked up three more men. Two of these I knew — Mr Ewing and Mr Philp. We came down as far as the old sheds. The blacksmith told me to take the car that was standing in front of me, as he wanted to have a look at the one I was driving. All the passengers transferred to the other car. The car cleaner was on the car. He said: "I'll put the rope in." I replied: "All right, Harry (the cleaner's name being Harry Downes); I'll run down a bit, go as you can put it in easier." It is quite a usual thing to run down about 200 yds from the old sheds before gripping the rope. I felt the car going a little faster than usual, so I put on more brake power but it had no effect. Opposite the Cathedral one of the Chinamen jumped off. So far as I could see, none of the rest jumped off till the car capsized after turning the corner.
Interviewed by our reporter, James McIntosh gave the following account of the occurrence:— "It was the 9.30 car from the top, from Ann street. We started with six passengers, and picked up three more in Ross street, so there were nine of them when we got to the old engine-house. There I found another car waiting for me, on the lower side of the transfer table. The passengers were requested to change into this other car. Reid, the blacksmith, had told me earlier in the morning that he wanted to look at my car — meaning No. 4 — and he told me to leave it at the transfer table and take No. 7, which he had just put off the side rails after giving her a thorough overhauling. This No. 7 car was standing on the brakes on the lower side of the transfer table. The passengers all changed on to No. 7. I jumped on her first. As soon as I got on I looked and found both the brakes all right. I found that by trying them. I thought the slipper brake would require a little more pressure, and I gave it the neccesary pressure. That is done by screwing a small hand wheel. That is the ordinary and every-day sort of thing. All us drivers do it so as to have the brake to suit ourselves. It is the custom for us — it is my custom, anyway — to run on the brakes down to about the path that crosses the line, about sixty or seventy feet. I did this, letting her go slowly, and then I went to pull her up, but found she did not work very well. I started to pull her up all the way down. I was working the brakes all the way down. Just before coming to the brow, entering the cutting, I saw a boy going to jump off, and I said to him that it would be all right if he hung on. She was going very slow, and I thought she was going to stop. I thought I had her fully in hand. When we got over the brow she started off full speed. I still felt that I could manage her, I kept working the brakes all down as far as the Cathedral. After coming round that curve I saw a Chinaman jump off. There were three of them. The other two stuck to the car. After that I started to use the dolphin striker — a brake that we keep in case of emergency. It goes between the slot rails in the form of a wedge, which can be driven down with a powerful screw lever. I had taken about three turns out of it when we were close on to the blacksmith's shop, I thought I would not put any more on, but I would chance the other brakes taking her round the Shamrock corner. I thought I could trust to taking her round the Shamrock curve safely on the brakes. Coming round the Shamrock corner I loosened the slipper brake, thinking by that means to make sure of her keeping on the rails. She kept on all right till on to the curve. After passing the Shamrock she went off the rails and went on to her side in the middle of the road. I hung on to her to the finish, and got pinned underneath, but somehow or other she never touched me."
THE PASSENGERS' STATEMENTS. Mr W. J. Bolam, manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company, on being interviewed by a member of our staff at his office, said: I left home this morning for the office, and caught the 9.30 tram at Ross street. Everything went all right for the first part of the journey. When we reached the old engine shed the passengers transferred on to another car, which was in waiting. Mr L. G. Reeves, Mr Philp (of Roslyn), and myself got into the front compartment. I am not sure where the other passengers were seated. I think Mr Ewing and three Chinamen took their seats on the side of the car facing the north, and two ladies sat in the back compartment. The rope was not put on the gripper at the old engine shed. The cleaner, I understand, was preparing to put the rope on the gripper, but for some reason or other this was not done. I think it was understood that the rope was to be fixed when we got a little farther down the line. At any rate we started, and after going a little way — some distance above the bridge — the brakes failed to work. Then the car went down the hill like lightning. I was sitting with my back to the driver, and did not see the Chinaman jump off. I kept my eyes in front, and prepared for the worst. I stretched my legs out and put them under the seat in front of me and held on hard, so as to be prepared for the jolt. The car continued to race down the hill at full speed. I thought that when we reached Arthur street the brakes might work, but this was not to be, and we hung on like grim death. It was an experience I will never forget. Mr Philp did not know how to save himself, and slipped on to my knees. It then struck me if I kept my legs stretched out they might get broken, so I pulled my legs in. When the car reached the inside curve at the Shamrock Hotel it rose on its end, and then turned over flat on its side, falling in the direction of the Crown Hotel. We were all in a heap inside our compartment, and when I picked myself up I made straight for Scoullar and Chisholms warehouse. I received a nasty shaking, but was not badly injured. Two of the joints of my hand were cut, and I had one of the nails of my fingers scratched. My leg was bruised, and it is still a bit sore. Mr Reeves escaped with a few scratches, and Mr Philp was cut about the head. I did not wait to see how any of the other passengers fared. I felt sick, and got away from the scene as quickly as possible. There was no conductor on the car. The driver always collects the fares in the morning. The brakes were put on hard all the way, but they seemed to have no power. The lines were very greasy, and that might have accounted in some way for the brakes failing to act. Before starting I saw the driver tighten up something — I suppose it had reference to the brake.
Mr John Philp, who was a passenger from the top of the hill, says that the car was uncontrollable from the start from the old engine-house. Apparently neither the grip nor the brakes would act. He states that there were nine passengers. He remained in the car till it reached the bottom of the hill, and the force of the impact drove him against the woodwork, with the result that he sustained a deep cut on the left cheek and another on the left eyebrow. His right arm is not broken, but it was severely hurt. He also received a blow upon the right side, in the ribs.
Mr Ralph Ewing, of Roslyn, thus narrates what happened:— I came to town by the 9.30 a.m. car, picking it up at my own gate at Ross street, which is a stopping place. I occupied a seat on the open side (facing the east) of the car, which was opposite my own side of the street, and had alongside of me two Chinese whom I knew to be employed at Sonntag's garden in the Kaikorai; and opposite to me two ladies were already seated. We proceeded without any misadventure as far as the old engine sheds, where we were asked to change cars, and did so. I took my place, still on the eastern side, after the other passengers were seated, and had still one of the Chinamen as my fellow-passenger, the other having apparently taken a seat at the rear. The two ladies, who were evidently relatives or near neighbors, occupied seats on the opposite (western) side of the car to me, whilst in front were Mr Bolam, (manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company), Cr Philp (of Roslyn), and Mr L. G. Reeves (sharebroker). A boy and the second Chinaman were in the rear. There were in all nine passengers. At the old shed Driver McIntosh took charge of our car, and, as is customary, when all was ready for resuming the journey another of the company's employes came aboard with a long iron hook for the purpose of giving the rope to the driver. McIntosh said to the other man — I heard him distinctly: "I'll stop on the brow of the hill a little further down and take the rope from you then." So we started, the other man still on the car with the iron hook in his hand. McIntosh ought never to have started before he had gripped his rope, and I believe that this is one of the most particular orders issued by the company to their drivers. No sooner had McIntosh started than I noticed that he was working his two brakes for all he was worth, and that despite all his efforts he had lost control over his car, which was gathering momentum at an alarming pace. I saw now that an accident was inevitable, and at once made up my mind to stick to the car come what might. I saw the little fellow at the back jump off just as we entered the cutting, and I heard both the driver and the other man shout out and warn the other passengers not to jump. So quickly had we gathered way that we seemed to pass Rattray street like a streak of lightning. The marvel to me was how the car kept to the rails there or at the curve opposite the Cathedral, which we passed at a desperate rate. The Chinaman is said to have jumped off at the Cathedral corner, but I did not see him do so. My thoughts were intent on keeping my own position, and I looked straight ahead, keeping a tight grip with both hands on the iron bars near me, otherwise I must have been thrown off the car, which meant instantaneous death to me, as it did to the unfortunate Chinaman. From the manner in which the car tore down Rattray street I thought we should have gone to the bottom, but that did not happen. The car came to a standstill at the points just below the Shamrock Hotel, where it overturned on its broadside. I was the only person inside, and I was miraculously thrown clear of all the gear. The man who had offered to give the rope to the driver when we started was inside alongside of me, with the car lying on top of him and calling out piteously for assistance; he was pinioned by the legs. My own escape was extraordinary. When picked up I was covered with mud and dirt but except a knock on the back and general shaking I do not know if I am much the worse or not. I was taken into Laidlaw and Gray's, where I received immediate attention, for which I am truly grateful and I was afterwards examined at Mr Marshall's chemist shop by Dr Stephenson, who reported that I had received a considerable shock to my nervous system, and that I had a large swelling on my back. It was, indeed, most fortunate that none of the other passengers attempted to jump from the car after we had "bolted," for to have done so meant certain death, so great was the speed we travelled at after emerging from the cutting. I have no hesitation whatever in saying that the accident was wholly and solely due to the failure of the driver to secure the rope before starting - an act of negligence in ordinary circumstances, as I have already said, but doubly so considering the slippery state of the rails this morning.
Mr L. G. Reeves, who escaped with a shaking, was asked pointedly by one of our staff whether he noticed the way the driver shaped, and he answered that he did — that McIntosh kept cool throughout, and seemed to be doing his best. Mr Reeves added that when the emergency brake was applied, the speed of the car seemed to slacken.
LATEST. On making inquiries at the hospital at a quarter to four this afternoon we were inormed that there has been no material change in the state of the patients. Miss Moore has partially recovered consciousness, and the other patients are doing as well as can be expected. To-day's accident will call to mind a somewhat similar mishap which occurred on the same line on the night of Saturday, April 23,1881, just two months after the line had been opened. The 11.30 p.m. down car had started on its journey, and everything went well until the car had rounded the bend where Smith street joins Rattray street, when, owing to the side strain on the rope, it slipped from the hold of the gripper, and before the brakes could be applied the car had commenced to run down hill, and gained in impetus as it progressed, until, with fearful velocity, it tore down to the terminus at the foot of Rattray street. The fifteen passengers — most of them jumped off before reaching the bottom were all more or less injured, and one, Thomas Garrett, sustained fatal injuries. -Evening Star, 27/10/1900.
NOTES FROM DUNEDIN. (excerpt)
(By- Our Own Correspondent.)
The accident on the Roslyn tram line last Saturday created a great sensation in town. It would hardly be correct to say that a great shock was caused. One is shocked when something unexpected happens. But everybody to whom one spoke about this accident said that he was not surprised - that it was only a matter of time when it would occur. It was not so easy, however, to justify this confident belief that another serious accident on the line was bound to ocour. Nineteen years have nearly elapsed since the former occasion of a car breaking away with the result of loss of life and the infliction of injuries upon a number of passengers. There has been nothing to distinguish the recent management of the cars from that of the past fifteen years except that they have been becoming more dingy - a sad contrast to the cars on the Mornington line — and that they have been scandalously overcrowded. Saturday's accident had no connection, however, with overcrowding. It is on the ears going uphill, and particularly between 12 and two o'clock and between five and six o'clock, that passengers unable to obtain seats or standing-room in the body of the vehicle, clamber on the footboards and hang on by their eyebrows outside. There is as a rule no crowding on the cars from Roslyn down to town. Most residents of the hills prefer to walk down. There were only nine passengers on the 9.30 a.m. car on Saturday morning. There was, of course, the usual heavy proportion of people who just missed the tram. Had all who say they had intended to come down by it but were too late to catch it been on the car it would probably have been overcrowded. With only nine passengers those on board had plenty of room. The driver was a young man who had had several months' experience. He brought the tram along the lately opened extension to the old engine shed. There the passengers were transferred to another car which was standing on the table. The driver, McIlntosh by name, tried the brakes and after adjusting one of them, seems to have been satisfied with them. The car was at that time "standing on its brakes," — that is to say, the cable rope was lying at the bottom of the tube and was in no way connected with the car. The driver has to "pick up" the rope. That is, he drops an iron hook, catches the rope with it. and pulls it up into a slotted pulley in the gripper. The rope is then "ready" in the gripper. The next movement is to release the brakes, and the car moves forward, the rope passing loosely through the gripper. The final act is for the driver to close the jaws of the gripper and thus make the car fast to the rope, causing it to proceed at the same pace at which the rope is travelling. On this occasion the driver did not pick up the rope while the car was on the table. It was impossible, he asserts, for him to do so then. What he proposed to do was to pick it up after he had gone a little down the slope. He did not secure it then, however, and the car went down the hill on its brakes. The driver worked these, so passengers say, for all he was worth, but on the slippery rails — it had been raining heavily and was still drizzling — the wheel brake and slipper brake were both ineffectual to check the car, which sped down hill at a furious rate. Then McIntosh applied the emergency brake, the "dolphin," which is a wedge that can be driven into the slot, and it was equally ineffectual. Still he continued using the brakes in the hope that he might succeed in pulling the vehicle up. It was not to be, and when the foot of Rattray-strect was reached it capsized, breaking the gripper and throwing its remaining occupants out. Its remaining occupants, I say: one of the passengers had taken the risk of jumping out at the curve opposite St. Joseph's Cathedral. He paid the penalty of his rashness... -Mt Ida Chronicle, 2/11/1900.
THE ROSLYN TRAM FATALITY.
Dunedin, Nov 16
The inquest touching the death of King Hay, who was killed in the Roslyn tram accident, was concluded to-day. A good deal of evidence was taken, the witnesses including E. R. Usher, of the Public Works Department, who gave the result of tests made. He found that the cable could be picked up easily until 35ft below tbe transfer table (but it was explained that the tension had been increased the day before the test.) The car was pulled up with the brakes after the word "stop" was given in 25ft. He believed that it could not be so easily pulled up if heavily loaded, but Sparrow, the engineer, thought it would make little difference - that in fact it should increase the efficacy of the slot and slipper brakes. The jury returned a verdict that "we find deceased (King Hay) came to his death through No 7 car bolting, owing to its not being attached to the cable before starting. Further, we exonerate the driver from all blame, he having followed the usual practice." -West Coast Times, 17/11/1900.
