LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5420, 6 May 1929, Page 2

LEVEL CROSSINGS.

DANGER TO LIFE. CADMAN’S ROAD A DEATH TRAP With railway level crossings responsible for so many deaths in all parts of the Dominion, every occasion when something is suggested to help eliminate the danger deserves full support, The Railway Department, while recognising the danger, apparently is quite content to leave matters as they are in the event of necessary precautions costing it anything. Some time ago the Ohinemuri County Council addressed a communication to the district engineer of the N.Z. Railways at Auckland pointing out the danger to life the railway level crossing at Cadman’s Road constituded owing to the approaches not being formed within the railway reserve on either side of the line to the full width of the road. The council intimated that if the department would do the work within the railway reserve the council would undertake to do its part in making the crossing as safe as possible. That such a courteous epistle and splendid offer well merited serious and considerate attention on the part of the addressee is beyond doubt, but not so with the Railway Department, to judge by their reply. Red tape before safety first, and safety first a matter the department so assiduously places before the public as its slogan ! The reply from officialdom to the letter was, in effect, “it’s none of our business, and if you wish to do it at your own expense go ahead.” To quote from the document in question : “I would point out to you that the department is responsible for the maintenance of the road for a distance of 33ft on either’ side of the centre line of the railways at public level crossings . The work which your council proposes to carry out is an improvement to the existing road, and is, therefore, I consider, a matter for your council to attend to. I have no objection to your council carrying out the work, and will maintain the surface of the area which is maintained by the department on completion.” ’

The reading of this letter to the Ohinemuri County Cqpncil at its last meeting naturally caused Cr. Mace, whose riding the deadly crossing is in, and who was instrumental in bringing up the matter in the first place, to make immediate protest and state that the reply was most unsatisfactory. In his opinion—an opinion shared by all who unhappily have reason to know the place in question—the crossing was a deadly menace and would cause a fatality in the adjacent drain before long. Many cars recently had come to grief there. The department should be urged to improve crossings. It apparently took up the attitude that it would not do anything to its property. Cr. Johnstone' also gave evidence as to the danger and number of cars involved in accidents there.

The council finally decided to make it a recommendation to the incoming council to arrange a meeting with some responsible officer of the department concerned.

The almost weekly motor-car crash at Cadman’s Road crossing which is reported gives more than ample evidence of the danger existing there, and it is not putting it too strongly to say that if a death occurs there the N.Z, Railways should be deemed guilty of culpable negligence. The council, and Crs. Mace and Johnstone in particular, are to be congratulated on the stand taken in the matter, and their efforts to have a serious wrong righted. However, when it comes to a matter of life and death, is it is in this case, it is questionable whether any delay is warranted, and, taking everything into consideration, perhaps the wiser course for the council to adopt would be to effect the necessary improvements immediately and go into the matter of who is going to pay afterwards. Government bureaucratic departments are notoriously slack in the matter of correspondence and action, and while the official responsible is cogitating what to do in the matter, and when it would be meet to reply, a death, or deaths, may occur.