Selwyn Street Rail Crossing

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31088, 17 June 1966, Page 8

Selwyn Street Rail Crossing

Sir, —As a motorist who regularly uses the Selwyn street railway crossing, I would like to protest at the appaling condition of this crossing. Rapid changes in levels between the railway lines, of several inches in places, along with potholes, have made my every negotiation of this hazard a test of endurance, both for myself and the suspension of my car. Selwyn street carries a large volume of traffic from suburbs south of the railway line, and such users should surely be entitled to a less precipitous barrier to Moorhouse avenue. Car suspensions have considerable strain imposed on them during normal motoring without having to contend with unnecessary wear and tear. Repairs to the macadam would make the lot of Selwyn street users happier.—Yours, etc., SHOCKED-ABSORBER. June 10, 1966. [The district engineer of the Railways Department (Mr J. C. Sandford) said: “Work is programmed to relay all railway tracks across Selwyn street level crossing with a view to obtaining a common level. Because of pressure of more urgent work it has not been possible to carry out this job, but it is hoped to attend to it in the near future.”] Trooping The Colour Sir,—Of course, “Trooping of the Colour” is wrong; and if I said it or was reported as having said it, it was obviously a slip of the pen. Anyway, a good mark to your correspondent for having spotted it.—Yours, etc., NULLI SECUNDUS, June 16, 1966.

Sir, —I, too, spotted that superfluous “of’, but having been associated with the correspondent for 50 years, and knowing his typing eccentricities, I put it down to some understandable confusion on somebody part.

“Non-Guardswoman” is obviously interested in military phraseology, so here are three not commonly known solecisms peculiar to the language of the Brigade of Guards. It is forbidden to say “busby” for “bearskin,” “batman” for “soldier servant,” and “Town” for London. The last may have fallen into disuse of late years, but between the wars it was considered on a par with “serviette” for “table knapkin.”—Yours, etc.. NULLI SECUNDA. June 16, 1966.