RAMPS AT CROSSINGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 19, 23 January 1937, Page 8

RAMPS AT CROSSINGS

HEAVY EXPENDITURE WISDOM QUESTIONED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, January 22. Objections to the building, of an overhead railway ramp at the Lorneville level crossing were expressed at the monthly meeting of the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers' Union, mainly on the score of expense. Reference was made to the need for making travel on New Zealand's roads safer, but it was thought that the Government' would be better advised to avoid the heavy expenditure of building ramps throughout the Dominion and employ as many men on sustenance as possible as crossing-keepers. Mr. R. Sim said that acting on the instructions of the last meeting of the executive, he and the secretary had discussed the site of the Lorneville ramp with officers of the Public Works Department. It had been explained that the erection of a ramp on the present road line would interfere with the entrance to the Lorneville stockyards, to the railway station, and to several houses close to the road. Mr. W, H. Ward: There seems to be far more money being spent there than is necessary., We have to watch these things, because there is always a tendency to extravagance when someone has a hand in the public purse. He added that it should be debated whether it was wise to do so much of that type of work now there were many men on sustenance not fit for heavy work, but quite fit to take positions as crossing-keepers. New Zealand was short of houses, and the ground that was being taken in at Lorneville would provide sites for a number of homes. One man could attend to this crossing, and the heavy expense of building a ramp was going to come back to the land if that sort of thing was going on all over the Dominion regardless of expense. It was a matter that should be taken up by the Dominion executive. JOBS FOR SUSTENANCE MEN. Mr. D. McDonald supported the suggestion that unfit men on sustenance should be employed as crossing]£oopgj*g| The chairman, Mr. G. A. Hamilton, agreed that it would be wise to suggest to the Department the employment of crossing-keepers instead of building expensive ramps. Mr. A. H. McLean: There are other crossings where ramps are more necessary than at Lorneville. A sober motorist should never hit a train at Lorneville. The view is so clear that even a drunken driver should never be in trouble there. , "Years ago Australian level crossings were guarded by gates," said Mr. T. Major. "Perhaps that would be the cheapest system. Now, however, ramps seem to be most popular in other countries, and the most effective." There was very much more traffic nowadays, and it was necessary that a permanent solution to the problem of the heavy toll of life on the roads should be found. New Zealand had had more expensive undertakings than the ramps, and the Government had stated that crossings were being taken in order, and that a thorough programme was being carried out. The discussion had nothing in the way of a permanent solution to offer. The following resolution was carried:—"That this executive draws attention to the apparently huge expenditure incurred at the Lorneville overhead railway crossing, and recommends that as the matter is one of policy the Government should utilise unemployed labour at present on sustenance on present level-crossings as crossing-keepers instead of incurring huge capital expenditure on overhead ramps."