Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1935. RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 271, 29 August 1935, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1935. RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

Mr Forbes was on safe ground when he said that he felt sure the desire on the part of the Government to eliminate as far as possible the risks at level crossings would be appreciated by the public generally, and more particularly users of the roads. It is true that the total number of accidents in the running of the railway is- not excessive when the total annual mileage covered by goods and passenger trains is taken into account, but it is rot less true, as the Prime Minister said, that accidents at level crossings form rather a large proportion of such accidents. The difficulty of the problem, always recognised, has increased considerably with the augmentation of road traffic in which motor vehicles play so large a part. The evidence of statistics is that in spite of all claimed to have been done to make these danger-spots on the highways less perilous, they exact their toll just the same. It is no use arguing that drivers of vehicles should be more cautious, or that the traffic laws ought to be more carefully obeyed. The Railways Department claims, no doubt fairly enough, that it has been pursuing a policy of “progressive development” in the protection of level crossings, but the fact remains that the crossing is always a potential slayer. The ideal of total abolition is of course beyond achievement, but there are valid reasons for doing away with many. The programme mentioned by Mr Forbes provides for the provision of £120,000 annually for three years, and the expenditure is more than justified. In this matter agreement has been reached as to the allocation of the cost between the Railways Board, the Main Highways Board and the Unemployment Board, with such assistance as may be forthcoming from local authorities. Mr Forbes in his speech said the scheme would find useful work for a number of unemployed, a factor which at this juncture is of great weight. It will assist in advancing the policy of the Unemployment Board, which is desirous of finding full-time employment of a national character for certain classes of the unemployed. In this respect it is necessary to say only that funds collected and used for the relief or unemployment could be —indeed are being—used on other objectives far less important than this. To deal with the level crossing menace would be a valuable work for the unemployed to do.