ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19255, 20 August 1924, Page 5

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir. —“lnverness,” whose letter appeared in Monday’s Times, has evidently spared himself the trouble of finding out if Hooper, of th© Seaeliff team, had or had not been oliosen by the selectors to represent Otago in tho coming match against th© Chinese. If ho. with others, had gone to those in authority or had asked almost any senior player about this matter his letter would not have boon written, and it would not have appeared that th© selectors were asleep when it came to choosing tho best players. As a matter of fact, Hooper was among those who were asked to go into training with the object of fitting themselves with a view of being finally selected to represent this province, and if he is as fit when tho time comes ag ho was at the last match or two then I should not bo surprised if he is in the team.—l am, etc., A Selector. OPEN GATES ON RAILWAY CARRIAGES. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The recent fatality on the railway at Purakanui brings home again the danger of the open gates on the railway carriages. It is easy to be wise after tho event, but perhaps one or two suggestions to the Railway Department might be the means of preventing accidents in tho future. Passengers will stand on the platform as long as the platform is there, and some means must therefore be looked for to guard against the danger of tho gates being left open. I noticed the guard particularly closing all gates before the train left a wayside station to-day. He cannot always be following up passengers to close the gates after them. If the passengers do not now realise the necessity of closing those gates then they must be educated to do so. A notice on the railway gates with the throat of a £lO penalty overcomes the necessity of closing the gates giving access to private roads that cross the railway lines. A warning bell and a large poster displayed at the railway warns the motorist of the danger at railway crossings, n similar notice on the carriage platform pointing out to travellers that it is as much their duty towards their followcreatures ns it the guard’s duty to close the gates, a light on the carriage platform at night, and the insertion of a hint in railway lime-tables, holiday booklets, etc., may be the means of overcoming this difficulty until such time ns a “Safety Gate’ ’controlled from the engine of each passenger train is introduced.—l am, etc., Safety First. Purakanui, August IS.