PUBLIC SAFETY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1049, 11 February 1911, Page 10

PUBLIC SAFETY.

Sir, —As an occasional traveller.over] tho Rimiitnka railway', I was pleased to sco "Constant Traveller's" ,' letter calling tho attention of, tho'Dopa'rtmont to , tho risk of accident' owing to stock bc,iug allowed on tlio line.' I havo myself frequently seen sheep on tho track, find can thus endorsq 'your correspondent's remarks. '.. Now that attention has been called to, "tho subject, lam suro tho Department'will riso to the occasion anddo what is necessary., It would be criminal neglect on its part to do otherwise. As you :pbirit out, the Department is to'bo'.commended for tho caro it has taken in the past,' but no caro on the part of a drivor would savo his train if it rah into a bullock or a sheep while on tho downward'gradient. Your correspondent deserves tho thanks of tlio public for calling attention to the danger that exists,- and I trust tho Department will -at bnco! tako stops to fenco tho lino, arid thus-prevent tho encroachment of Tstock^.—l am,' etc., - ■■■'£■'■ WAHIARAPA. . ■ ~ ■ -,- ,-...> ■■■-.v,,,-.'.- ; ....,,-. : , 1 .-,i: Sir,—l think you.deservo tho thanks of tho wholo of tho • Wairarapa ; community- and tho travelling public for publishing tho account of what might have' boon a dreadful accident on tho Wairarapa railway lino. Tho facts of tho;case arb that tho midday train leaving ■ Masterton is -a. mixed one, carrying very fow passengers.,- When entering tho tunnel on tho Summit! it rant into thrco head of cattle, two of which' woro 'cut to pieces, and tlio . tliircl : Imd two logs, broken.,' : You can Understand how alarmed tho passengers'were, and: one: lady fainted from fright! Had it been 'a full train it would havo boon much worse! This is not .tho first time cattle have been killed in tho samp tunnel.: As for kill; ing !sheep, thai, is 'a common '.' occurrence However, I don't supposo a few sheep could causo tho tram to leavo tho lino, but. yvhat cattlo might do'is impossible to say!' Now, it is not for mo to suggest any way of preventing such possibilities occurring again, unless : 1 might bo pardoned for suggesting a plan to placo • automatio gates at tho entrance of each tunnel. Still tho samo troublo might .ariso througli cattlo straying''on/to .thel Jino on a dark night, Slfcrigifiedrivcr could not sco them in time to pull ud tlio train. Whatever is do-no must Co dono'effectually for tho'safcty of tho, public.—l am, etc., r ■ : .WAIRARAPA, r February 8, 1911. ' .