WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17747, 26 April 1923, Page 4

WEST COAST NOTES

RAILWAY MATTERS. (SFICIAL TO "THE PEESS.") GREYMOUTH, April 24. Mr R. W. McVilly, General Manager of Railways, interviewed by local deputations to-day, stated, in reply to respective requests, that a new railway station and yard improvements would be commenced as soon as possible. Re garding Otira, he repeated his Christchurch comments regarding the triple scale of charges whilst the Public Works had control. Everybody was hoping that the time would be short before the line was properly opened for public traffic, he continued. In his opinion, a delay of three or four months was not worth taking into consideration. What he was most concerned about was' that the line should be perfectly safe for the public when it was handed over. It would take at least six weeks to train men, as the electric work was unique so far as the New Zealand railways were concerned. "It is no use telling you one thing , and meaning another," said Mr McVilly. "I will not agree to passenger traffic through, the tunnel by the Railway Department's men until they are properly qualified in every respect." v. Level Crossing Accidents. Responsibility for accidents at level crossings does not, in Mr McVilly's opinion, rest with the Railway Department. The Tainui street crossing was well-known to every one in the town, and nobody could approach it without seeing it. The Railway Department found that, no matter where a railway crossing was, or what safeguards there were, they did not prevent accidents, for the simple reason that people would not exercise reasonable care, not only for their own safety, but also for the'safcty of people on the trains. Grey River Erosion. A definite refusal to recognise liability was Mr McVilly's reply to representations regarding the Grey River erosion. The question, he said, had been before the Department for some years, and their engineers took the view that the works done by the Borough Council were of no value to the Department. The work was not, necessary to protect the railway line. If, and* whenever, protection became necessary, the Department engineers said they could provide much more effective and cheaper work than that of the Borough Council. He did not consider the Department was under any liability to contribute to the Borough Council expenditure. Brunner Bridge. The Brunner Borough Council, represented by Mr P. Creagh (town clerk), stressed the necessity for the re-opening of the Brunner Bridge. The Council was prepared to take over the bridge on the terms of the District Engineer's letter. Hopes of assist ance from the Government, on promises made two" years ago, had not materialised. The Council desired to know how soon the bridge could be handed over. Mr McVilly said that the bridge would be handed over as soon as Council agreed to the Department';-, terms. The Department would no give any financial consideration what ever. Their view was that, by handing over the bridge and material they were behaving pretty decently. The Department could not agree to any-

thing further than that. If the terms wore agreed to, the Council could have the bridge at once. The General Manager and party left Greymouth for Boss, returning to Hokitika in the afternoon, where a deputation was received. Mr MeVilly arrived at Greymouth this evening. On Thursday visits will be made to Kewanui and Blackball, and the party will then leave for Westport. Claim for Damages. Consequent on a collision between the parties' cars, a claim for damages amounting to £65 12s 7d, was made at the Magistrate's Court, before Mr W, Moldrum, S.M., by Win. Bruce Cunningham against Sarah Ellen Campbell, wife of Thomas Campbell. 1 Plaintiff, in his statement of claim, stated that damages amounting to £65 12s 7d had been incurred, and ho therefore claimed for £3O 12s 7d special damages, being costs of repair and depreciation, and general damages £35. These damages were sustained, he claimed, by reason of the defendant, on November 12th, 1922, so negligently and unskilfully driving and managing a motor-car at the intersection of the Town Belt and Tainui street, that it. resulted in defendant's car colliding with plaintiff's car. The defendant attributed the accident to plaintiff's negligence, but after hearing the evidence and inspecting the locality of the collision, the Magistrate gave judgment for plaintiff. Hotel Fire. McFarlane's Hotel, Conn's Creek, occupied by Mr Humphries, and owned by Mr Morley, was destroyed by fire. Mr Humphries is a heavy loser, as he had transferred his furniture to the hotel, but failed to notify the insurance company, and so loses all insurance. -Mr Morley had £IBO on the building, and £l2O on his furniture in the hotel. Anzac Day. Ideal, sunny weather favoured Anzac Day, and there were large attendances at the various memorial services, and at the laying of the foundation stone ceremony of the Memorial Cenotaph by the Mayor (Mr J. D. Lynch).