DANGEROUS OR NOT?

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 190, 20 August 1935, Page 5

DANGEROUS OR NOT?

Pole at Railway Grossing

DIVERGENT VIEWS EXPRESSED

SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS

A pole erected at the recently improved railway crossing corner, opposite the Tavistock Hotel, was the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Borough Council last evening. The Waipukurau branch of the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-op. Association forwarded a copy of a letter sent to its head, office, asking that the Hawke’s Bay Stock Auctioneers’ Association should protest against the action of the Telegraph Department in erecting a new pole in such a position that it decidedly detracted jfrom the benefit which had been achieved by the splaying back of the fence at the railway crossing. “The pole constitutes a grave danger to the motoring public, . and will, one of these days, re- ! suit in a nasty accident,” the :

letter stated. The Town Clerk said that the Power Board engineer had informed him that the post had been erected under instructions from the Telegraph Department, but the Telegraph Engineer han stated that it was entirely a Power Board matter.

The pole carried electric wires and, he understood, railway telegraph lines. It had been necessary to put

the pole in to raise the wires so that the Telegraph Department could get their’s underneath. Cr. Bromell contended that the pole had spoiled the improvement to the corner. He did not see why the new pole could not have been put where the old one was. At present it was a death-trap. The Mayor remarked that he doubted whether the Power Board

had .power to put the pole in the road. ’ Cr. McCarthy was of opinion that a pole could be put where the edge of the footpath would be if there, were a footpath. While he agreed that the Borough Council should have been consulted before the pole was erected, he contended that it would prove an advantage rather than a detriment, in that it would serve to keep the motorists from hugging the corner, and would thus create a safety zone for pedestrians. At present it was a dangerous crossing for pedestrians. -When the crossing was tar-sealed a white line could be marked round from the pole to indicate a safety zone. The improvement had been made mainly for stock traffic, and the pole would not affect this. Cr. Martin agreed.

Cr. Brathwaite thought that the pole was not desirable and that it would not be of advantage to pedestrians. Cars, he pointed out, could cut in again after passing the pole. Cr. Bromell supported Cr. Brathwaite in his attitude. He expressed the view that the council should have been consulted in the matter. The body responsible for the erection of the pole had practically walked rough-shod over the council. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr. Bromell, it was decided to write to the Power Board, stating that the council considered that it should have been consulted before the erection of a pole which might possibly detract from the value of the improvements recently made; and asking that in future the council's permission should be obtained before such work was done. On the suggestion of Cr. McCar-I thy U. was also decided to point out that the Power Board would be held responsible in case of any accident in connection with the pole.