The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1930. HOLIDAY ACCIDENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 20373, 3 January 1930, Page 8

The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1930. HOLIDAY ACCIDENTS.

Joy in the predominant note during the Christmas and New Year holidays. It is the height of summer time in this dominion, though anyone might be pardoned for forgetting that fact this vear, and young and ardent spirits, released from the thraldom of school and office and workshop for the time being set out to make the welkin ring. Dunedin is singularly fortunate in having within easy reach many attractive holiday resorts, and row after row of cribs" in the most accessible places indicate the extent to which advantage i° taken of the opportunities afforded. But every year the shadow of death nfars the happiness of a number of homes. The worst happening recorded this season is the terrible tragedy in Scotland, where seventy children lost their lives as the result of fire in a cinema. What makes it additionally sad is the knowledge that the panic was unnecessary, and but for the stampede that occurred when some hysterical person shouted “Fire!” every child would have escaped without harm. This calamity recalls one of a somewhat similar nature last year in Kent, when during a rehearsal for a pageant by Boy Scouts a temporary structure caught fire and a large number of children were burnt to death. The message sent by Mr Ramsay MacDonald to the stricken people at Paisley must .echo the thought that is in many minds; “ Everyone blessed by having children around understands in the most intimate way the torturin'* sorrow which is i:n the hearts of so many of your citizens.”

With the coming of the 'motor car and the great increase in transport facilities generally the highways and byways are crowded at this time of the year, and the sea beaches are thronged, consequently the risk of accidents is always present. In days gone by the majority of them were due to imprudence while bathing or to carelessness in the handling of firearms, but now it is the motor car and motor cycle that take the Greatest toll oi lives. In the last four or five years collisions with trains at railway cross ings swelled the casualty lists—so much so, indeed, that there was agitation throughout the dominion urging the Government to have increased safety devices installed. Certain measures were taken in removing obstructions, widening the roads at particularly dangerous places, and erecting signals, but there are still many traps for the incautious motorist. This season only one fatal railway crossing accident nas been reported, which may reasonably •be attributed to added care on the pari of motorists, as the result of the repeatcd’warnings that have been issued, and to the improvements effected. The position, however, still calls foi further action by the department con cerned. In Dunedin the holiday season had been free from fatal accidents un til the morning of New Year’s Day, when a shocking motor collision on the Portobello road resulted in two men being killed and others injured. In this connection attention should be paid to a letter in last night’s issue by a correspondent who has motored over the road thousands of times. He declares that near the spot where the acciutnu occurred there is an obstruction on the roadside that increases the difficulties of motorists. Statement? by 'a person of such experience should have weight with those who are charged not only with the upkeep of the road, but with the duty of seeing that the line of vision is as unrestricted as possible. So great is the loss of life to-day througfi motor mishaps that nothing should be neglected that in any effective way will add to the provisions in force for the safety of motorist and pedestrian alike.