LEVEL CROSSING DANGER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18294, 10 January 1923, Page 8

LEVEL CROSSING DANGER.

WARN I SYSTEM NEEDED.

PROTEST TO. GOVERNMENT. IOX TELEGRAPH.OWN correspondent.]

. CHBISTCHURCH, Tuesday. ''At* a meeting of the Canterbury Automobile Association Mr. W. H. Nicholson stated that the time had come when warning bells should be erected at the different level railway! crossings through... out the Dominion. £he cost would be very ; slight and the advantage great. Mr. Faulke. pointed out that often hen a high wind was blowing it". was almost" impossible to hear a Warning bell. In America they had "speedways" where motorists' were compelled to slow down when approaching a crossing. This, he thought, would be a useful innovation inNew Zealand, and would mitigate against serious accidents, too many which had been occurring of late. _ V Mr. J.- S. Hiwks said, it was impossible to warn. some people- who would continue to .drive over -crossings at a high

speed. , Mr. F. Lill mentioned a recent accident where a motorist had charged into the Invercargill express, which was on the crossing before he had reached it. Warning bells would be useless in the case Of . such careless drivers. ', : i The chairman pointed out' that the Government wai at present investigating a scheme which would tend to alleviate the present danger. At Khandallah, near Wellington, - special semaphore signals were being erected, and later these would be installed throughout the Dominion. The working was simple, and an arm raised itself automatically on the approach of a train, thus giving: the motorist ample warning of ; the , engine's , approach. Mr. F,.„ W. Johnston stated that & protest should be forwarded to the Government deprecating the present negli(?oncb of the Railway Department in -n6t having warning signals erected at dan* gerous crossings." , . '•.',.. Mr. R. W. Lochhead pointed out that it was often - the custom of engine-drivers to sound their engine whistles only when the train reached the crossing, and when it was impossible for a motorist to take the warning and pull up. ; '■-./■■'.- It was finally decided to forward a protest to the Government against its negligence in not having warning signals erected at dangerous level crossings. ;