THE EDENDALE LEVEL CROSSING.

Southland Times, Issue 19771, 20 February 1923, Page 7

THE EDENDALE LEVEL CROSSING.

To the Editor. Sir.—Would you be good enough to allow me a little space in your valuable paper to criticise R. Cameron’s letter in to-day’s Times, regarding the dangerous level-cros-sing at Edendale. He suggested that if the drivers of all trains were instructed to sound the whistle for a full minute before crossing and continue same until crossing such crossings, would be quite sufficient to warn the public of approaching trains. Well, sir, on some dangerous crossings throughout the country this may be all right, but in the case of the Edendale levelcrossing, I think myself that this proposal is quite useless, as all trains stop at this station and all trains for the North, barring the expresses (which sometimes do), cross the crossing for water and to commence shunting operations. This statement also applies to the branch train for Wyndham, which is shunting over this crossing at different intervals of the day. Besides that, the engine of this train has a good deal of ■shunting to do into the back loopline running between Wright Stephenson and Co., and the Dairy Factory Co. Ltd., into tht Sugar of Milk Co. Now sir, if this engine was to sound its whistle for a full minute before crossing this crossing it would aimply deafen all in its neighbourhood; and then again, as I said before, all trains stop at this station, and the distance from the station to the crossing is only a few chains, and I have, seen for myself that when some trains stop at this station the engine is almost on the crossing. Well nr, do you mean to say that when the guard gives the right-of-way, that the driver has to stand there and blow his whistle for a full minute before he dare cross the crossing? Why, it would put the trains out of their time-table, besides causing a rood deal of harm to anybody that may hrppen to be in bed ill. about the township; and then again any of the engines for the north that do cross to the water tanks for water, which is only about two chains away, would have to blow their whistles for a full minute before crossing and the same again to come beck to their trains, and before leaving for the next station they would have to somplete the same again. Why. it would make that train three minutes ’.ate when leaving Edendale. There is also a public school not far away from this crossing, which many children have to cross to attend school, and al.ro there is the Dairy Factory not far away and if the trains started blowing their whistles for a full minute before crossing this crossing, there wouldn’t be a horse stand at the Factory. Besides all this there are two general stores, one on each side of the line, and e-cry morning while the train from the north and the train from the south, including the branch train and another goods train which is due in Edendale a few minutes after these trains’ departure, you will see as many as eight or ten milk carts standing in front of each of these stores, so if ell the.se trains were to be blowing their whistles for a full minute before crossing this cros sing there would be such a noise in the town that one of these horses would be bound to bolt, and naturally he would start the rest off and what a smash there would be. It is hard to say which would be the worse —the bolting horses and carta or the crossing. One’s life would be in danger to be about the town at that time; and to finish this off if the late express passing through Edendale were to sound its whistle a full minute before crossing and continuing until it had reached the crossing, why it would waken everybody in the neighbourhood. Now, sir, this crossing has proved one fatal accident two or three years back and just recently Mrs and Mis? Dempster had a marvellous escape from death through their car being caught by an express travelling very fast over the crossing, and I understand Mr Dempster is a very heavy loser of his valuable car, valued at a few hundred pounds, which was totally destroyed; and this is not by any means the lot as I have witnessed many other narrow squeaks on the same crossing So. Mr R. Cameron, I think myseif nothin else but some danger *igxud, Much as a

danger bell or a wig-wag worked automatically from the station, together with some disabled returned soldier to safeguard the children who do not understand such danger signals, would be of any use on such a dangerous crossing as this. As it is one of the worst in the country and in other towns you will see some danger signal or other, besides a man stationed on the crossing to safeguard the public, and I think myself, this town is entitled to this also. Hoping some other energetic person will take up my letter. I am, etc., J. W. HAYES. Edendale.