WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1926, Page 9

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

SAFETY FIRST.

THE LEVEL CROSSING

(From Oar Specla Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The launching of a "careful crossing campaign," which the Prime Minister has promised from Christchureh, will scarcely still the clamour for better provision for the protection of life and limb along the railway lines of the Dominion. Nor will his statement that "the Department, for its part, has provided for approximately ten level crossings in one year, and has in mind completing a further quota at an early date" allay the suspicion that the authorities are shamefully neglecting their duty in this respect. They cannot divest themselves of responsibility by erecting a finger-post here and a signboard there, or by quoting the pronouncements of the Supreme Court aeainst the reckless and thoughtless driver. The contentions they have put into the mouth of the Minister partake very much of the character of the lawyer with a bad case who resorts to abusing the other side. Precise statistics are not available, but it is fairly safe to say that, taking population and traffic into account, the number of crossing accidents in New Zealand are relatively larger than those in any other part of the Empire. This is a pre-eminence the Dominion is not seeking, and his personal and political friends will be much disappointed if Mr. Coates allows his own good sense to be over-ridden by official lethargyA Reluctant Witness. Though naturally indisposed to add to the Minister's difficulties just as they are beginning to unfold themselves, the "Dominion" does not accept the "'careful crossing campaign" as entirely satisfactory. "This choice as between the complete elimination of level railway crossings and the education of public opinion," it says, "no doubt appeals to the Department as a matter of pounds, shillings and pence. It is much cheaper to set out on an educational campaign than to do away with the level crossings. We are not so aure that the Railway Department's idea of using posters a3 its medium of safety propaganda will be so effective as it looks on paper. Posters and other fixed signs are apt to become part of the familiar landscape in much the same way as a new article of furniture gradually sinks back into its surroundings in the room. In this matter of educating the public to be careful at railway crossings the Government has a serious and pressing responsibility. It is true that the victim of a railway crossing accident usually has himself to blame, but the legal immunity of the Railway Department does not relieve the Government of its responsibility to take every reasonable precaution to minimise the risk of accident." This is a severe reproof from the lips of so devoted a political friend. Another. Straw. That a man's troubles do not come upon him singly is demonstrated by more plain speaking from another of che Prime Minister's political friends. ''If Mr- Coates is as good as his word," the "New Zealand Times" declares,, "he will move to save the Dairy Control Board from itself, and one of our retail industries from the board. The Prime Minister has declared time and again against State interference in big business. He is obviously not satisfied that absolute control is either necessary _or advisable just now. That is the view of the experts in the. dairy export trade also. There i 3 a simple constitutional means of dealing - with the situation. When the Act was passed, it was generally believed that an Order-in-Council would be required to sanction the use of the compulsory clauses. Let the Act be amended to that end so that It will rest with the Government whether or not absolute control shall be enforced. If Mr. Coates fails to put the board in its place, he will sadly disappoint influential business interests and shake the confidence of other people. If Mr. Grounds imagines himself the whole dairy industry he must be disillusioned before Tooley Street does him that service." Both parties to the butter control controversy are looking to the Prime Minister for assurance. The Bone of Contention. So far Mr. Coates has managed to hide his intentions very effectually, and consequently to make both sides a little anxious. After his statement to a. deputation at New Plymouth early in the New Year to the effect that he thought compulsory control should be postponed until a new board had been elected under the ward system—an opinion, by the way, with which Mr. Nosworthy appeared to concur at the time—the members of the Free Marketing League were congratulating themselves upon the success of their efforts. The appointment of Mr. Hawken as successor to Mr. Nosworthy as Minister of Agriculture added to their satisfaction, and all seemed to be going well with their cause. But the Prime Minister remained silent, and still remains silent, while Mr. William Grounds, the chairman of the board and the head and front of the "absolute control" campaign, is touring the country and proclaiming his intention to go on with his policy whatever may betide. Undismayed by the denunciation of "absolute control" Ht a number of representative meetings of suppliers. he is marching through the Dominion with his oriflamme on high, demanding the submission of the producers, willy-nilly, to the decree of Parliament and the i authority of the board. It is being j whispered about that in the last resort the Free Marketing League will carry its protest to the highest tribunal in the Empire and that it has been encouraged towards this course by distinguished legal authorities-