“ A DEATH-TRAP ”

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4056, 3 June 1938, Page 5

“ A DEATH-TRAP ”

A DANGEROUS CROSSING. OTOROHANGA MAN’S DEATH. “The Cook Street crossing is a death trap, and should be closed; failing its being closed a crossing keeper should be placed there when a train is approaching. It is very easy to get caught there/' said the coroner, Mr A. J. Graham, at an inquest at Palmerston North on Wednesday into the death of Samuel James Sanson, aged 70, Otorohanga, which occurred in Palmerston North Hospital following a collision with a train at the crossing on May 27. The verdict was that he died from shock, severe haemorrhage of the brain, and bodily injuries. J. S. Murdie, signalman, said he held up his hands as the car approached, but it did not stop. The distance was too short in which to signal the engine driver to stop. There was not a chance of the train pulling up. In his opinion the crossing was not dangerous it care was taken. A man was always on the crossing during shunting operations, but when mail trains approached no crossing keeper was on duty, the signalman being relied on to hold up his hand to stop traffic. The coroner: You did that and a man was killed. R. H. Tripp, driver of tho train involved in the accident, said the train was nearly opposite the signal box when the car first came into view. There was no hope of avoiding a collision, the speed of the train being about 30 miles an hour. Witness said he had been on the section for about 20 years, and had seen quite a lot of narrow escapes at the crossing. It was a dangerous crossing because of shunting operations. There really should not be a crossing at Cook Street at all. As a driver it was a source of anxiety to him. Fixed signal bells would not be of use because they would be ringing continuously during shunting operations, but a crossing keeper was necessary. NOT ON REPLACEMENT LIST. Before delivering his verdict the coroner inquired of Mr A. H. Northover, stationmaster, who attended the proceedings, if the crossing was on the Railway Department’s list for urgent replacement. Mr Northover said the department was aware of the nature of the crossing, but it was not on the list of those to be eliminated under the present programme. He agreed with the coroner that the crossing was not on the replacement list, probably because of the proposal to shift the site of the station.

“Something will have to be done in regard to that crossing,” said the coroner, asking Mr Northover to draw the department's attention to the position in his report. Delivering the verdict, the coroner said he remembered that some years ago the Railways Department had been seized of the necessity for doing something, but the proposal to close the crossing had been strongly opposed by residents at the time. However, conditions had changed, and the position had to be met. The coroner suggested that the stationmaster recommend the department to place a crossing keeper permanently on duty. “I suppose it is too much to expect that the crossing will be closed, but at least a crossing keeper could be appointed,” said the coroner. He added that until the position was remedied motorists would assist the Railway Department by avoiding the crossing altogether.