ANNESBROOK LEVEL CROSSING DEAT-TRAP.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 12 January 1921, Page 5

ANNESBROOK LEVEL CROSSING DEAT-TRAP.

I {To the Editor.) ) Sir,—Having recently had my_ breath i literally taken away by a train dashing, almost under my noseband practically ■ without warning, over this crossing at ■ a pace very considerably over 20 miles an houiv £ notice with interest your .praiseworthy persistency in keeping 'this matter to the fore. It unnerved me to think what must happen-, ii little lones crossing the rails at such a time suddenly saw this uncouth monster rushing at them round the bend. These would appear to be two ways of removing so deadly a menace to life. Only recently an offer was made by the i Government of their contributing half ' the cost of providing the necessary bridge if the district would provide the. , balance and the estimated cost was Iput down (i think) at £2OOO. Bearing" in mind the extreme simplicity of the | proposition if the high road were nfade 'to dip under a short span of railway ' bridge, this estimated cost would an* I pear to be an outside one, and; this : being so, by means of obtaining- a loan ! from the Government to cover the dife- | triet's sliar© of the cost, it would, '.'in allowing for interest and sinking fund, work out at a weekly insurance • preI minimum of little over £1 to coyer the ! lives of all using- the crossing, including j our City Fathers. Split up oyer the * ! various interested local bodies the conItribution would b© almost niicroßeopical, and surely hesitation to incttr r-so trivial a liability, especially where |%o | much is at stake, is 'apparently abme I justification for the reputation which Nelson is unwisely acquiring throughout the Dominion for disinclination; to move with the times, or-in any '-case at more than a funeral pace. It ig also to be remembered that the far greater part of the cost of 'the ' parations thereto would be~ circulated la (the district. The second way .of dealing with the proposition lends 1 -itsevlf to even more simple treatment'.,- No 01$ dares suggest that the rate at trains cross down the inclin~ef^B, ; uhd& present conditions; sate, injunction could be obtained/tft'-'reetirfift the officials from allowing theijr ' ■&&** to cross a public and ■road in such a way'as-fo ibfe'> s *pe*i petual and' grave niohace to lif ei 'Eithgr the brakes on the train arefaiß,use&nt for proper control—in: which* case" if ; *» for the railway officials tp"provide,.?iiid , they;, should be compelled: to suitable' "else 1 are)aind©d to.improve th*'%y«ra|^|a*e of slow-locomotion oyer-■. s orainming, a train down; and' itt so doing v^uin^<;the <; li i ?6%t City Fathers pelled to nse tfce'>cr<^iflg:&t the proverbial brass 1 the local intete'sted cerned, €tverybddy , B , \ i body's bu^inesi,. and-'thii lamentable; and-; credit to you,' ;Mr.vEd?t6>i ; i^y©ar"v,.p^^' sistency in eniphasisini': thS.u>terriblfi menace to life-is ■-J-ajfi; f