LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20586, 8 December 1928, Page 11

LEVEL CROSSINGS.

POLICY OF RAILWAYS ’DEPARTMENT. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF USERS. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, December T. - k declaration in regard to the policy of the Railways Department concerning level crossings was made by Mr H. T. Gillies, Crown Solicitor, at Hamilton, in the Magistrate’s Court this morning when prosecuting a motor cyclist for failing to keep a vigilant lookout at the Victoria street crossing. Mr Gillies said there had. beeri a lot of criticism of the Railways department for not properly safeguarding level crossings. There were 2000 level crossings in New Zealand. It cost about £2OOO to construct a subway or an overhead bridge, and to make all level crossings safe would involve an expenditure of about £4,000,000, The country was not in a position to Stand that expense, and the’ Railways, Department did the next best thing in the public interest. It made regulations requiring the people who use the crossings to keep a vigilant lookout. The prosecutions which from time to time came before the court were brought with the object of causing people to be . careful when approaching these crossings. Itf was a remarkable thing, counsel said, that the majority of accidents occurred at simple crossings and not at yeally dangerous ones. The department had not brought the prosecutions under the statute requiring vehicles to stop when approaching crossings. It would perhaps be better if it did. The prosecutions it did bring were, however, entirely in the interests of the public, and to draw the attention of motorists to .the necessity for observing due care when approaching crossings.