"STAND AWAY THERE!"

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 5 July 1926, Page 10

"STAND AWAY THERE!"

A TRAGEDY AVERTED. DANGEROUS RAILWAY CROSSING. (ill- Telegraph.— Osvn Correspondent! WHANGARET, Saturday. Always retrarded as a dangerous position, the W.iter Street railway level crossing has been intensified since work was started on the construction of an embankment in connection with the overhead bridges. Pending completion of these, a temporary line lias been laid within n few feet of some high buildings, vision from the footpath and road being obscured by an abrupt right angle. Yesterday evening what might have been n tragedy was narrowly averted at this spot. A lady walking along the footpath was almost level with the crossing, apparently unaware of the proximity of a train coming down the incline, when prompt action by the railway crossing keeper saved her from certain disaster. His shout of "Hi, stand away there," had the desired effect of checking the pedestrian. The engine missed her by inches. The shock, however, was considerable, the incident causing consternation to those who witnessed it. This is the same crossing which figured i prominently last court day, when a local I motorist unsuccessfully contested a j prosecution for crossing when the line j was not clear. It is feared that during 1 tin erection of concrete supports for the I overhead railway bridge across this [street vision will be further obscured jin both directions, and steps should be ' taken by the responsible authorities to j more adequately safeguard pedestrians J and also vehicular traffic. This also i applies in a minor degree to the Walton Street and Rust Lane crossings, at which overhead bridges are also to be erected. Water Street crossing is regarded the I most dangerous in the Dominion, because of its surroundings. There have been other cases of pedestrians being imperilled, apart from vehicular and especially motor traffic. An elderly man named Samuel Babe, while riding a bicycle across the inter- ■ section of Bank and Water Street this ' morning came into collision with a motor i car. Mr. Babe was thrown violently and j sustained cuts and bruises. His bicycle I was buckled. After receiving attention at !an adjacent shop he was able to proI ceed home. 1 =