TEMUKA RAILWAY CROSSING

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13936, 9 January 1911, Page 3

TEMUKA RAILWAY CROSSING

A DANGEROUS SPOT. Arising out of the recent fatality at the railway crossing, just south of tho Temuka railway station, a deputation, consisting of the Mayor and Councillors of Temuka, was introduced to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister on the Temuka railway station on Saturday by Mr T. Buxton, M.P. Mr Buxton accompanied the Prime Minister from Timaru, and when approaching Temuka pointed out the crossing and' tn© elements which constitute its danger—the existence of a large building used as a goods store, which blocks the view ot trains approaching from the south. As the express was behind time tno deputation was brief. Mr Buxton referred to the recent fatality, and said that tho dangerous character of the crossing had been brought under the Department's notice previously. Tho residents felt that the time had arrived when something ought to be dono to remedy matters. There were numerous suggestions, but it was desired that the Minister of Railways should look into the matter and obtain reports from his officers, with the view of adopting the hesr. method of making the crossing of the lino as safe as possible. He thought that a safer crossing could be provided if it were made further south. Members of the deputation spoke briefly on the necessity for action being taken in the matter. Sir Joseph Ward said, in reply, that when such a fatality happened as that which recently occurred at Temuka, all were sympathetic towards the survivors ot those whoso lives had been suddenly cut short. The Railway Department recognised that it was its business to protect the lives of the public, but the people, in turn, had also to protect themselves when approaching railways —that was essential for the safety or the public as well as for the safety of the railways. In New Zealand, fortunately, the railways were run with ..•omparatively small loss of life as compered with other countries, and in that respect the Dominion's railways stood in a hi_h position. He would ask the Minister of Railways to visit Temuka and look into the matter personally, in order to see if things could be made safer for those crossing the railway line. Whether it could be done in the manner suggested by Mr Buxton he was not in a position to say, but the Minister and his responsible o£Dccij3 would go into the matter fully with the object of preventing accidents. Railways, as they knew, were always a source of danger more or less, but in order to reduce that danger the expenditure of money was generally a secondary matter. To render crossings safe the only methods were to erect overbridges or construct subways, and overbridges were usually objected to owing to the difficulties connected with using them for heavy traffic. He had been exceedingly grieved to learn from Mr Buxton the details of the recent fatality. The Minister and liis responsible officers would look into fir matter and report, and on that report the Government would be able to de- j cide what was best to be done in the I