PARAPARAUMU.

Otaki Mail, 19 July 1922, Page 3

PARAPARAUMU.

OTAIHANGA CROSSING. Following is a copy of a letter sent by Mr W. H. Field, M.l\, to the Hon. Minister of Railways:— “We, the local residents, who make freqatent use of the Otaihangu railway crossing, a level one without cattle stops, on the road leading from Main West Coast Road to the soldier settlement and other properties in the vicinity of the mouth of the Waikanae River, urgently request that an overhead bridge may be built without delay to take the place of this crossing. We make this request on the following grounds:-—(1) The present crossing is of a very dangerous character. By reason of a hill which obstructs the view, and a sharp bend in the line, it is quite impossible to see a train approaching from the north unril the prr-,-nn crossing actually reaches the line of railway. The danger is part iculirrly sm-ious in the case of vehicles, \\ hich

! >s< - or vehicles. which have to wait jo act ii-iilly on the railway while tin- gat its on either side of t Inline are opened mol closed. (11) More than once recently fatal accidents have only been nanoivly averted tit this crossing, and it is cot tain that lives will be lost if the 'line is not spanned by a bridge. (0) Tratlie on this crossing has been very much on the increase recently as the land to the seaward of the line litis become more settled, mo! this traffic is likely to further increase in tin- near future as the result of the further settlement of tlo- district. <l! The spot is one particularly adapted for the construction of a bridge. The line oh this spot runs through a sand-hill cutting, the bridge site on the top of which is easily reached by a slight deviation of the present road, and the adjoining owners are willing to make the necessary exchange of land v ithour compensation." (Here follow a list of signatures).