LEVEL CROSSINGS DANGER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15017, 11 July 1914, Page 6

LEVEL CROSSINGS DANGER.

; NEW SIGNALLING I>_3VlC_. ; _>ELAY IN. INSTALLATION. . lanriAt ro *'t__ tkbbs.") WELLINdHPN, July 10. .The danger of loybl railway cropsings was r_o-rrod io by Mr A. M v Myera in::tliie' : ''j_^U-d-'^_ 4 >4ay. He allad-' ed .to the stetemeht, made, by the Minister .of Railways .in, reply .to his (Sir Myerses) q«e_fdn <m W-dnesday,' viz., ".that »,_at_tfi_---ory 'automatic signalling device had been secured, hut that, ;in vieti* of 'the time required for maoufacture and- the-heavy cost involv*-_d_ it -would only he _>o_aib.e to equip a lifiiited number of crossings each year, r - Mr Myers said that ie did not regard th© Minister's __. reply as eatisfactory. Tho matter was one. which concern-pd! | the safety of human life, tho protection of which, acoordiilg to th'o r_cognised iosi-rnction to railway employees, vtas the first- consideration. If;,that were so in rbga-rd to the running of the railways, snrely. it also should bo. in rer gard to level crossings. Surely if a device had bocn'devised, no time should be lost in equipping all the -angorous crossings in tha, Bomin-. ion. 11 was net a matter in which -he ouestion-of cost should be considered. 1 f tbo railways wero owned by a> private company the Governmeiit wotiid -have iio 4 hesitation in insisting-on it discharging .its-obligations to the public. Tho Go-rernraent'-had a? monopoly in regard to.the railways, and it> should carry out its duty by en_nrinj* _he greatest posttble safety at these —OBsings. tho dangers of which had already been .-sponsible for the lo__ of many lives. Thero should be no-hositation on the part of tho Department in -""-"-pending/ whatever money was neco---___r in'installing the device referred to wherever, it. was needed.