MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY DISASTER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2166, 3 June 1914, Page 8

MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY DISASTER

(To tho Editor.) Sir, —Re Mr. Milligan's letter in your issue of yesterday re the above, I am ■sorry to have to differ from Mr. JMilligan, bit 6 am afraid ho does not know what' ho is talking about, because 1 have had considerable experience as a stationmastcr at a number of stations in both islands, and have fount} that tho heat and cold affect the signal wires by dontraotion and expansion to an enormous extent, nioro in the North Island than in the South Island. When going on duty in the morning I have found many times tho signals, both distant and home, in ono case, and in others tho home signal (no distant signal at the latter stations), very nearly full off when the, lever has been at danger and padlocked; I have also pulled tho lever off without lowering the semaphore, owing to tho slackness of tho wire, on moro than ono occasion. If Mr. Jlilligan will get off at ono of tho stations and examine the levers, ho will find there is a big weight and a pin in tho centre of tho lover. This is used to adjust the wires, in tho hot weather to tighten and tho cold wea-ther te loosen thorn. Why was that weight and pin put in? Becauso tho Department found from experience that it was absolutely necessary to-have it, aiyl I think Mr. Milligan, in every system of signalling in tho world, will, find they have made it-possible for the signalman to adjust his'wires. Personally I was very glad to see that a numbe-r of railway officials and passengers examined the signals directly after tho accident, because it has undoubtedly saved two innocent men from a very serious charge. As there will be a Departmental inquiry, if not a public one, I do not intend to discuss the matter further. I would ask Mr. Milligan to consider tho amount of harm which can bo done by people talking about tilings of which they apparcntlyknowv^lit^l^^