The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1930 SLAUGHTER AT LEVEL-CROSSINGS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1000, 17 June 1930, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1930 SLAUGHTER AT LEVEL-CROSSINGS

PLX deaths at a time now marks or measures the extent of ~ slaughter on New Zealand railway-and-road level-crossings. .Such, at any rate, has been the tally of destruction on two occasions within the past fourteen weeks. In addition there have been isolated killing and maiming of the unwary in a similar manner during the first half of this year, and innumerable escapes with the barest margin of safety from violent death. It is an exceptionally bad record, and surely serious enough to affect the toughest conscience in officialdom. The latest level-crossing accident is by fa' the worst of all in a score of years. It occurred last evening at a notoriously dangerous. crossing near Christchurch, "where, at Soekburn, a severe collision between a mixed train and a motor-car killed six persons and wrought havoc on the locomotive and several wagons which became a huddle of blazing wreckage. Four of tke_ victims were nurses returning to their hospital duties, while the others were a veteran engineman in the South Island railways service, and the di'iver of the wrecked motor-car. Since the destructive accident will have to be the subject of an official inquiry, no comment on it may be made with the exception, perhaps, of noting that the extremely dang’erous crossing was guarded by a watchman with a lamp, but whose warning signal, unfortunately, did not stay the oncoming motor-car. There is’no exaggeration in stating that the too common peril of death at crossings of railway and road in conditions which never would have been tolerated if the railways system had been under the control of private enterprise, has become alarming. Danger increases with each annual expansion of motor transport, and it cannot be conceded that the State or its Railways Department, although efforts have been made to provide more safeguards and safety devices, has kept pace in precautions with the growth of motor traffic on the Dominion’s highways. In the plainest of words it is perfectly fair to say that the State’s policy on the question is relatively so inactive as to he an administrative scandal. Possibly this latest level-crossing tragedy will quicken political and departmental laggards in precautionary progress. Tt so happens that today, in Wellington, a special conference of transport experts and representatives Of varied public interests will open for the purpose of discussing the causes of the deadly increase in motor accidents and (it is hoped) devising ways and means of preventing them. The conference begins its important work under the shadow of a tragedy. It has been given inspiration of a terrible kind. The Soekburn story of mutilation and death should impress upon the delegates the necessity of placing in the forefront of their purpose the disgraceful menace to life at hundreds of level-crossings. Hitherto, successive administrative authorities, while frankly admitting the range of this community peril, have taken refuge from pressing responsibility for the development of more adequate safeguards iu the stock argument about expense. They subdue criticism and repeated clamour for precautions by explaining with tears in their voices that the errors of railway construction were committed in the simple days before the advent of motor vehicles, and that to eliminate danger and effect foolproof remedies would cost at least £10,000,000. Thus they have been satisfied to experiment and tinker with all sorts of warnings and so-called wig-wagging safety devices. In spite of all precautions and flaring poster propaganda, often set up in dingy railway stations, the record of level-crossing accidents and fatalities increases at a disquieting rate. Of course, there is an increasing craving for speedy travel on the highways, and so long as fools live there never will be complete immunity from the risk of accidents. But that is not a reason for being complacent about the rapid extinction of mechanical manslaughter. The Government as well as the public must realise that the old dawdling dray and buggy days have passed, and that the best possible protection must he given to a new generation Many level-crossings are death-traps, like places devised and set apart for highway murder. Let it be hoped that the Accident Prevention Conference will he able to convince the State, as a first service, that level-crossings are the worst and most notorious causes of transport fatalities.