AN EVER-PRESENT DANGER

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1930, Page 8

AN EVER-PRESENT DANGER

RISK OF LEVEL CROSSINGS. OPINIONS OF THE CORONER. “I do not know whether any device common to New Zealand is sufficient warning to some motorists whose route takes them across railway lines,’’ said Mr. W. L. Kennedy, J.P., at the conclusion of the adjourned inquest upon William Louis Wells, a P. and T. employee who was killed when a lorry he was driving collided witli a train at a level crossing in Stratford last Tuesday. “Motorists,” continued the coroner,” have received plenty of warnings through the Press, and the Railway Department, at considerable expense, has erected circular stop notices and other warning devices, but these notices appear to be of little use unless the requirement to stop and make sure no train is coming is rigidly enforced. Every motorist should be made to stop.” < Referring to the scene of the accident Mr. Kennedy drew attention to the evidence of poor visibility and suggested that the Railway Department should take steps with a view to having a slight obscuring rise lowered. “L may say,” he added, “that these level crossings in Stratford arc further reasons why idustruction of the proposed new station should be proceeded with.” USUAL WARNINGS SOUNDED. Further details of the fatality were given by David Barr, Hawera, firematf on the train. He corroborated the evidence that the usual warnings were sounded but stated that all was clear on his side, the left of the engine cab. Mis first knowledge of anything out of the usual was the act of the driver in applying the emergency break, and he then caught a glimpse of the foremost part of the lorry just before the crash. At this stage the witness Comber was ■ recalled and the coroner asked if the lorry had stalled or stopped when hit, or whether it was moving. Witness was emphatic that the vehicle was moving. He- mentioned that from the cab he had a clear view up the line. Dr. D. Steven, superintendent of the Stratford hospital, said he was called to the institution and found Wells had just died. He gave details of the injuries, which included a compound fracture of the skull in the region of the forehead just above the left eye, an extensive scalp wound at the back of the head and a punctured wound directly behind the right ear. The cause of ’death was laceration of the brain due to the fracture of the skull.

KING’S THEATRE TALKIES. “THIS MAD WORLD.” An episode of the Great War, dealing with the conflict between love and patriotism, has been admirably conceived in “This Mad World,” a Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer all-talking production which will be screened at the King's Theatre for the last time to-night.! Although no actual warfare is depicted the produ’etion is given a realistic military atmosphere and is made particularly effective through being filmed from a stage point of view, tlie entire action taking place between four p.m. of one day and 10 a.m. of the next. A capable east helps to make the picture a success, Kay Johnson giving a sympathetic performance as the general’s wife, Basil Rathbone as the spy, Louise Dresser as his mother. Veda Buckland as a maid, and Louis Natheaux as a conspirator.