LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 March 1926, Page 5

LEVEL CROSSINGS.

COST O'F ABOL-rnON.

LEVY ON MOTORISTS SUGGESTED 1 .

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

AVEiLLLNGTON, March 5. The railway crossing peril was discussed by the North Island Motor Association at its meeting here to-day, when the following AVellington remit- came up for discussion : “That- this conference views with alarm the recent fatal railway crossing accidents at Porirua and beyond P'aekakariki, and asks that tlie Railway Department be again appealed to with a view fio further protection being provided for the users ol the road.” Mr. Hubert Filuier, in moving the remit, stressed the fact that the whole community liad been shocked by the frequency of these accidents of late and the very strongest, representations should be made to. the Government in this conunection. He urged that the following words should bo added to the motion. “That this conference pledges itself to support to the utmost the action of the Highways Board m methodically attacking the problem.’’ Air. Claude M. Banks moved an amendment as follows : “That this conference views with alarm the increasing number of fatal crossing accidents and again urges the Railway Department or the Government to provide separate grades at busy level crossings, and that a tax of 5s be imposed on motorists as their charge towards the cost.” The speaker pointed out that the estimated cost of doing away with the whole of the 3500 level crossings would be between £3,000,000 and £4,000,000. The only reasonable solution of the difficulty was grades, subways or overhead bridges. If the people were willing to pay for them the Government would provide these, but the Railway Department at present was in the position of not being able, with the increased ’bus competition, to bear the cost of doing the work from its own funds if this. public utility was not to be run at a big Joss. There were places where visibility was bad. There were crossings where, even if a motorist got out of his car and looked up the line he might be caught as .soon as he started again, thinking that the line was clear. The sum. of 5s per motorist, which he had .suggested, would provide a total of £37,000 per year. This would indicate to the Government that the motor owners were> serious in their demands. Air. A 7. Duff protested .against motorists agreeing to pay a further tax. They were at present on an average the highest taxed portion of the community, and to deliberately ask the Government to tax them further was ridiculous. Air. Stott said it was not right for a small meeting such as the present one to commit the whole of the SO,001) motorists of the North Island to a tax. Mr. Banks agreed to the withdrawal of this clause, and the remainder of his amendment being added to the original remit, it was parried.