The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1913. RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 31 May 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1913. RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

The subject of the inadequate lighting of tho railway crossings at Feuton and Regan streets has been dealt with by the Post on many occasions, while it lias also been a fruitful topic of discussion for a number of public bodies in the town. It would seem, almost, that tho old saying "what is everybody's business is nobody's business," as nothing has been done to remedy the defect. The unfortunate accident at llegan street crossing; last Monday revived the discussion, although in that case, it is generally agreed, tho lighting, or want of it, had little to do with the accident. However, a local resident has approached the Post with a suggestion in regard to the matter for Fenton street, and which, seeing that the I Railway Department will take no action, ho considers the Borough Coun- ' cil should bestir itself to carry out. He says that in approaching the crossing from the east it is very difficult to discern the movements of the trains or, perhaps, the solitary truck which occasionally is "kicked" across the road nay. Therefore, to shed somelight upon the rails, and at the sfime time prevent the glare from same interfering with one's view, ho want,* to see erected two lamps, with rentiers, on each side of the road to rhe east of tho railway, the light to be thrown diagonally across tho rails, tfv request, we give publicity to this resident's views, and add the hope that the suggestion will he acted upon by the authorities or the Council, if only as expressing a desire to see an improvement, however small, in what must lio admitted is a standing reproach to a town of the importance of Stratford. The preservation of life is the main consideration in this matte;-, and short of anything being done to minimise the danger attendant on these journeyings, then it only remains to enforce the law, by which, i: seems, vehicles and pedestrians are

forbidden to traverse a railway 'jros'Sing ii' a train is approaching within half'.-a mile. This interesting opinbn as a solution of the trouble was In ought out during the hearing of a case in the Magistrate's Court at Christchurch, and a solicitor remarked that "if this law was put into force Sydenham would be a 'walled town, for the greater part of the day." He said that trains were so frequent during the day that traffic and people would be at a standstill on one side of the line if they kept strictly to the law. The position here would bo much the same of course.