PLATFORM TICKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1926, Page 10

PLATFORM TICKETS.

PRIVILEGE HAS BEEN ABUSED. LIMITED' NUMBER NOW ISSUED. As forecasted in the "Star" of January 4, the Railway Department have brought into force new regulations governing the issue of platform admission tickets to Auckland station. It has been the custom to issue 50 of these tick-ets for each, of the three expresses which leave Auckland for Wellington daily. During the Christmas holidays, however/it was discovered that people were abusing the privilege. ' A flagrant breach was accidentally discovered on the night of Sunday, January 3. On that evening the first three expresses for Wellington had bpeiv fully booked up. The 9.5 p.m. special had been put on for the convenience of Pukekohe and Frankton nasseng-ers only, and they were not allowed through the gates till the '8.40 p.m. express had taken its depar- | ture. A man with a ticket for Frankton purchase a platform tickete and got through the barrier prior to the departure of the 7.4.3 p.m. Wellington express. Unfortunately for him he approached a railway official in plain clothes, and asked if there were any seats available. ■ He was asked where he was going, and said Frankton. In answer to the question how he got on to the station platform, he replied with a wink, "Oh, that's easy here. All you've got to do is buy a platform ticket and you can catch any express you like." This person was detained on the station till the 9.5 special was ready to leave. It has also been noticed that people with platform tickets frequently sit clown in a carriage with friends till the train is about to null out. Travellers sepkins: scats do not know that these particular ones are available. Tn future only 50 tickets will be issued altogether, making an average of about Iβ for pach express. If. -however, the 50 tickets have been sold' prior to the departure of thf> Daylight Limited no more will be atailable Cripples and young children will still be allowed to be escorted on to the train. Tn the past people used to purchase platform tickets to help friends with luggage. With the advent of "red cap" porters this is quite unnecessary.