RAILWAY LINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 220, 26 September 1901, Page 2

RAILWAY LINE.

TO THE EDITOR, Sir,—The shifting or deviation o* the railway line beiDg apparently deferred to some remote and indefinite period in dim futurity, it might become some question as to whether by Act of Parliament at Home, or by British Statute, applying to the whole Kingdom, any railway directors are not obliged to provide efficient protective gates at such crossings as that traversing the main tbroughfare of the town of New Plymouth, and failing such requisite precautions, whether or not] they must hold themselves responsible: for every or any accidents occurring] there, and, as in the instance of the | fatal catastrophe to the late Mfejor Brown, be liable to law-suit, indictment for manslaughter, or to be mulcted in full and substantial costs. It was ever considered an absurdity or madness to run tho line in the direction it now is, when first proposed, but I am afraid there was an inclination then tj ffivo less attention to the " properties of curves," than to study " curves " through " properties " and in developing an hypothesis of corapenmtioii for evils, th" existing ill-starre I and preposterous lite was fixed on. Moreover, much of it being Jaid oiF originally, I dare say, by those who, however, distinguished as bush or district surveyors, had never seeD a locomotive or a railway line, they doubtless scarcely realised its different risks and contingencies. Unprotected breakwaters and wharves, unprotected and open crossings, would almost point to some hopeless and supine incompetency if not wilful indifference on the pwt of the " powers that bo." Possibly experiencing some fortuitous escape themselves from serious disaster, on pieis or at crossings, might dispose the department more favourably or prompt them to more decisive action in remedying such risks. —I am, etc., 0. W. W.