RAILWAY RATES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15015, 9 July 1914, Page 5

RAILWAY RATES.

—4 CHANGES FOR CHILDREN. XO DEDUCTION POSSIBLE. (avf-xiM. to "the Vress.'') , WEI.UNGTONY July S. The Minister of Railways was asked in the Houso to-day by Mr A. M. Myers whether he would thi*. session recommend, tho GoTer_.-_.c..t to introduce legislation allowing children to travel free on the Govermpont railways up to live years of age, and at quarter rates from live to fourteen years. Tlio Hon. AY. H. Herries replied as follows: —'The raising of the age it which children are carried free over the railways, and the red*acing of the rate for the conveyance" of passengers, betwoen the ages of five and fourteen Tears, would involve a very serious los.** \ of revenue, which, in view of the in- I creased cost of operating, the Department cannot, afford at present. . Mr Herries also stated, in reply to Mr T.H. Davey, that it was not" -considered desirable to alter the regulations governing the issue of railway, passenger tickets. 'The recent convictions were tho TCS'ilt of persons transferring concession tickets, and so defrauding the revenue of the Department. The railway regulations provided foi the issue of * transferable aud non-trans-ferable ticket, under conditions that •were l*» d down m the tariff/ and an extra charge was imposed for transferable ticUt _t______-_^_____