The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1901. THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 207, 6 September 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1901. THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Now that the mutilated bodies of the victims of the late lamented railway accidents have been laid in their last resting place, the question of preventing further accidents of a similar nature demands urgent attention. The fact that within a week two of New Plymouth's citizens hava been run over by trains on level crossings in broad daylight is a matter that cannot be lightly passed over. There can be no question about the remedy being to take the line along the new route proposed by the Department, No time should be lost in urging upon the Minister the necessity of putting this work in hand at once. The time is very opportune. A large number of men are working carrying out the extension of the railway station with all the plant required for the construction of the deviation of the like, and there can be no question but that the deviation can be carried out more cheaply now than if done as a separate work. Parliament is also in session and would, we feel sure, if fully aware of all the circumstances, promptly vote the necessary funds for the work. The estimated cost of the deviation is between .£20,000 and £25,000, but this estimate does not take into consideration the value of the land now used by the line. The Devon - street frontages alone have been estimated as worth .£IOO per foot of frontage, so that the actual net cost of the deviation can be put down at a much less sum than that mentioned above. Then the saving in haulage and wear and tear on the steep grade and sharp curves between the New Plymouth station and the Henui will be very considerable. The increase in the weight of trains is so great that nearly every train outward has to ba assisted up the grade by a supplementary eDgine. In the absence of the member for the district we should suggest that His Worship the Mayor should be asked by the Borough Council to proceed to Wellington, and after secnring the assistance of the Hons. Kelly and Jennings and Messrs Symes and McGuire, the Parliamentary representatives for Taranaki, he should lay the whole question before the Hon. the Minister for Railways, The fact that these accidents occurred in «pi?e of every precaution having been taken by the railway officials is an additional reason for action being taken promptly. It is exceedingly gratifying to know that in both the sad cases there was absolute proof that no precaution was neglected and everything that could be done was done by the railway employees both before and after the accidents. Indeed, in the Devon street case one of the employees actually risked his own life to save Major Brown's. Has anyone ever considered the strain these dangerous crossings must bs to drivers and firemen. To our mind one or two accidents such as tho?e which have just taken place in New Plymouth must unnerve the strongest of men and go a long way to shorten his term of usefulness. These are considerations which should have g eat weight with those who have the control of our railways and everything should ba done to lessen the danger to the public and the strain on the railway servants. We trust that now the first shock of the late terrible accident is over the matter will not ba allowed to drop, but that every effort will be made to pre-i vent a repetition of such sad events, *