THE LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 162, 9 July 1914, Page 4

THE LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Tic member for Auckland Eist performed a positive public dwty yesterday, when he a?ked the Ministc.- lor Bailr.vjix? what the Department -proposed to do in the tray of guarding' the. le.vel crossings. Bnt while everybody will be jrratftful to Mr. Myers for bringing up

this e_xtremcly impnrtant question again. rrry few people will \rr with Mr. Hemes' reply. I , *" , Minister explained that an aiiLomatie signalling con trivancr has now been on trial for three months, that Jt has proved efficient, and that it is to ho installed •'at various busy crossings as opportunity offers.' . But 3ir. Henries -went on Lot-ay that in view of Ihe heavy experusc involved, ami the time required for the manufacture of these machines, we nerd not exppet to see any large number of fTO&sinjas -equipped with thorn at Ollec. "A iixed number of cros.-ings each year" | are to be provided with these safety signal- 5 -; and trie Minister apparently expects tije roumry to I" , content -with (til the contrary, we repeal that Mr Herrie.-.' statement is entirely unsatir- I factory. ;,n,l that the people should no; j rest till iney extract from the Minister a. promise to deal promptly an-d effertively with ihi* very srrious public •i.in - i ?fr. Mr Myers did nr>t exaggerate vw- i lerday when he told the H»ut-e that [tie ■ death-toll exacted evexv yc3r by the.-c j level-crossings is appalling; and 'the re- j f ponsibility for this- easily preventive j loss of life rests chiefly with t.ne Railway Departme.nl. Is it conceivable iliar. if our railway* were run by a private com--pa.uy it* directors -would be allowed to defy public, fpnttraent. aud to maint,a.;n these death traps- simply on the ground that it -would co.«t too much money 1o guard them properly. The suggestion is ridiculous, and siirelv t'ne State ha.s uo more riyrht than any private individual* to pXp.iwo the general public to such terrible rit-k- mrreh- for the sa.ke of -a\ ■ in;; mono-y. and making it- Department:!l account-, a little more preventable. T'ne country will not wait for an indefinite number of yean- while the Department is spreading the expenditure on this urgently neod-ed work over a lonjt peri..,'., >o as to "Rave f.ice" fiananciallv. Seejilinjrly Mr Merries .lne.s nr>, realise t'.ie crravity of the situation. Wlrat i, needed i- an even -rroncrer expression 01 pub!:,- feeling on t.hU question. :ind the people mii-t look to their represent, i:i\e_ in Parliament. a.« well at- to the public Pro-, to prove to Minister* that Ihe elector* are thoroughly aroused to tile rioce-Mty for prompt and vigorous action in regard to the level i-rossin^rs. and that they will not brook -any further dclav.