DANGEROUS LEVEL CROSSING

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 28 March 1935, Page 5

DANGEROUS LEVEL CROSSING

COMMENT BY CORONER. “WORST IN NEW ZEALAND.” (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 27. A recommendation to the Railway Department again to consider installing an effective signal at the Portage Road level crossing, New Lynn, was made by Mr E. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, in concluding an inquest concerning the death of Leonard Stott, aged 41, of Golf Road, New- Lynn. Stott was fatally’ injured! on the evening of February 21 when a motor car he was driving collided with a suburban train at the crossing. Two of Stott’s children, who lvere passengers in the car, were seriously injured. Mr F. J. Hoddinott, traffic inspector, appeared for the Railway Department. After Dr. Carew, Avondale, had given evidence of finding Stott and the injured children he was asked by the coroner for his opinion of the crossing as one acquainted with the district. Dr. Carew described the crossing as “terrible,” and added that it was “absolutely the worst in New Zealand.”

Answering the coroner, Dr. Carew said he had been called to the crossing more than five times in the past tw r o

years. Wilfred Sutherland, assistant engineer of the department, said each crossing in the country xvas considered on its merits before a signal such as a “wig-wag” was provided. “This crossing is not yet considered sufficiently dangerous,” Southerland added. The coroner: How many more do you want killed there before the department thinks it is dangerous? After recording a finding of accidental death the coroner said he had decided to draw the attention of the department to the advisability of again considering the provision of an effective signal at the crossing, which was a little more dangerous than the department ; seemed to think.