DEATH AT THE CROSSINGS.

Shannon News, 28 August 1923, Page 3

DEATH AT THE CROSSINGS.

Dramatic incidents seldom happen, at deputations, but one that is reported to have occurred in the office of the Victorian Ministerfor Rail- 1 ways must have put an unexpect-

emphasis on the arguments of the speakers. The deputation -.voiced a plea that has been frequently voiced* in this Dominion. They asked for more adequate protection at level crossings. The Minister, in. reply, was pointing out the high cost to the ; department that would he involved by the abolition 'of these dangerous crossing. Then Fate intervened. A telegram' was handed in. It informed The Minister that, as the result of a train smashing a motor car at Colac East level crossing, one man had been killed and two other persons injured. And later on, the same afternoon, came another telegram, stating that a woman had been run down at the crossing near Ararat, and had had one hand severed. Surely these tragic happenings of a single day—the day on which 18 metropolitan councils urged the Minister to provide a great* er measure of safety—had a grim lesson for the Victorian Railway Commissioners. It is not surprising to learn that as the result 'of public pressure the Government of that State has now decided to plaoe £50,» 000 on the next loan towards the necessary remedial measures.