THE LEVEL CROSSING.

Shannon News, 26 March 1926, Page 4

THE LEVEL CROSSING.

DEFAOTMEOT ALIVE T 0 IHS DANGERS. The making of a second public announcement concerning the level crossing peril so shortly after the first one indicates that the Prime Minister is fully alive to the seriousness of the position and is anxious to allay any fears that may have arisen in the minds of many people. The s'erious fatalities of the last few weeks following each other with, almost deadly regularity have aroused a feeling throughout the country which shows that no matter how much blame may be attachable to the individuals concerned in th'ese accidents, there exists a state of affairs in New Zealand which should receive the immediate attention of the Railway Department.

In his first statement, the Prime Minister said: ".The number of accidents through vehicles, particularly I motor-vehicles, colliding with trains, indicates that drivers of vehicles have i been neglecting the duty they owe both to themselves and to the train-using: public.'' This may be quite correct, but at the same time, evidence has been forthcoming at almost every inquest showing that in many cases there has also been a neglect of duty on the part of those in charge of our railways in providing reasonable safeguards for both the motor and train-using public. The legal position, as explained by Mr. Coates, is really of very little im> portance, and no penalty will safeguard against accidents. Nor is it possible to make crossings foolproof. But where the removal of a tree, hedge or bank would, at a small expense, provide a larger margin of safety, it is certainly bordering on criminal negligence not to do so.

A cas'e in point, in support of our argument, is'provided by the evidence given the day before yesterday in the shocking crossing fatality near Paekakariki recently, when the Coroner ordered the removal of two or three' trees" that obstructed the view at this particular crossing. This obstruction may or may not have been the cause of the accident in question, but the mere fact that the trees tended to obstruct the view should have been sufficient • reason for their removal without waiting for an accident to happen. Everybody will agree with the Prime Minister when he says that the toll of accidents of this kind is too heavy, and too serious for tire matter to be left entirely to the good sense and care of the drivers of road-using vehicles, but will hardly feel comforted by the statement, '' that stringent measures will be taken to ensure that the law is complied with." There is certainly something more required than legal proceedings against possible offenders, or even the Department's present policy of making crossings safe at the rate of ten every year as statedby Mr. Coates. There must be hundreds of crossings throughout the country similar to the one at Paekakariki', and no time should be lost in organising a systematic inspection and remedy an evil which no doubt has been aggravated by the • neglect and lack of foresight by those in authority. In stating that it would cost £2,000,000 to eliminate all level crossings in New Zealand, we cannot help thinking, the Prime Minister, has raised a bogey in order to knock it down. We* have not seen such a policy advocated seriously by anyone, and entirely fail to see either the necessity or feasibility of such a drastic measure.

In his last statement Mr. Coates says that the roads and railways of New "Zealand were built by the State to meet the transport needs, and each should share the burden and expense of making crossings safe. To this, local bodies will no doubt Teply; that, in most cases, the roads were down first and therefore will decline any responsibility. It is,quite obvious that the New Zealand Railway Department's level crossing policy has- not kept pace with the rapid development in motor traffic, nor with the running of many additional express trains and the general speed-ing-up which has taken place during the last few years. The general safety of the public and ordinary humanitarian sentiment demand that this' omission be corrected without delay.— Manawatu Times.