The Pahiatua Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, MAY 16, 1938. DEEARTMENTAL CO-OPERATION ?

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 13857, 16 May 1938, Page 4

The Pahiatua Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, MAY 16, 1938. DEEARTMENTAL CO-OPERA-TION ?

Some six weeks ago the Railway Department was asked by the Pahiatua County Council to improve the level crossing at the Pahiatua railway station by pareing off the cutting of the permanent way at the southern entrance to the station. The request was quite a fair one because the crossing is definitely dangerous and for a reasonable sum could be vastly improved if attention along the lines suggested was given to it. Judge then the surprise of the Council last week to receive a letter from an official of the Railway Department Intimating that the cost of the suggested undertaking would be high. The Railway Department in this case own the land which is the bone of contention, and it is evident they are trying to avoid what must unquestionably he their own obligation. The letter sought to inquire whether the warning signal at the crossing was efficient—it may be of some surprise to the Department to learn that only a fortnight prim to the receipt of their letter the “wigwag"’ signal failed to function when the !) a.m. train entered the station! The writer of the letter concluded with an uncalled for expression of opinion concerning road users who neglected to look at warning signals and needless to say Councillors took exception to this attitude on the part ot a Department that boasts of its service to the people. The outcome of the letter was a decision to send a copy of it to the Minister of Railways to show the latter exactly how the Department meets endeavours to prevent accidents on level crossings. Whatever the cost of the proposed work should be it cannot be too much if it saves one lite and there (an be no disputing the fact that for Ridge Road users in particular the crossing is a grave menace If Pahiatua is not to have a ramp at this jxiint local motorists are at least entitled to enjoy the maximum safety in the circumstances and the crossing at present falls a. long way short of this in the light of recent disclosuics.