TRAVELLERS’ LOSSES

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28162, 28 December 1956, Page 3

TRAVELLERS’ LOSSES

LUGGAGE AWAITS CLAIMANTS A woman’s short fur coat is waiting at the Christchurch railway station for its owner to collect, it. This and other articles ranging from men’s hats to a pair of women’s shoes have been left by forgetful passengers on trains arriving at Christchurch since the Christmas holidays began. Other articles left behind include an archery set, a woman’s handbag, a man’s overcoat, two brooches, an umbrella, a walking stick, and four suitcases. A radio, a satchel, and numerous books have also been found. People were bound to lose things during the holidays, said the chief stationmaster (Mr W. Newburn), because “mum and dad and the kids are all there, all rushing and bustling about.” Suitcases were lost because they were either unlabelled or incorrectly addressed, Mr Newburn said. Proper labels were provided free by the Railways Department, but many passengers would “grab a piece of cardboard, ram a bit of string through it, and expect it to travel as far as they are going.” Fewer articles are left on buses. Although the number of passengers was considerably higher this year, only one suitcase — which has been claimed—was left at the Christchurch depot of Railway Road Services. A wallet containing a driver’s licence was left in a bus belonging to a private company. The wallet has been claimed by a man in Auckland. Another bus company reported that only a few small parcels had been left in its buses.