FACILITATING RAILWAY TRAVEL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 900, 20 August 1910, Page 3

FACILITATING RAILWAY TRAVEL.

The [ working of the ■ through booking .-/■ and luggage-checking "arrangements, '.'on;.'.'; tho railways .is commented , on as*■under;'; byUhe Minister for Kiiihvays in his an-i;!-nunl Uailways Sfntementi which has.beeaS presented to tho • House of ' Kcpresenta-', ; :■■: tives;—. •' • ■ ."'•'..,"."■• ...-"vi; ;:'•'

Tho arrangements made.; for booking?-,' passengers through between .stations. ~4n>}': North and South Islands; havo!. been.; found to bo. a- convouiencc and to give:;* satisfaction, as does ■ also ■the ' through , "' checking of - luggage, in connection .with'-' , which a contract has . been let. for the':' carting, of checked luggage between' the,r ferry boat and the Wellington-- railway'.: station:. - To furthersfacilitate tho-hand-i'"; ling and transport of-passengersMuggage,!'." 'arrangements have bee'if made witlv ■ the' Department's ■ Wellington ■ eoiiti'actors, whereby they will" collect'at "starting.star'"' tions, cbeck, and 'deliver at'the < finaldestination packages of : bqna-fide luggagebelonging to passengers "journeying by.'i train, or by train and steamer. A pas-V senger' booked from Auckland, ior'.other! town in the North Island, to a town in[ i the South .Island,, or vice 'versa;'.can'':' therefore, if ho elects, hand over .his;;■_ luggage to the contractor at Auckland, ■ aud-havo it carted to. station, checked,: and delivered by the contractor :.to. his :.". address in the South''lsland" on payment/ of such cartage charges as arc ni-itually, : agreed upon by the passenger anil con- ,,: : tractor. The contractor will ■ perform ■ the whole or any. part of the- services.i' stated—that is, he'will collect and check ":■. at starting station, handing checks o .' passenger, leaving him to make his own nrrauijemeuts for delivery at fiual. des- • tination, or if checks are handed to him' " by passenger ho. will ."take delivery, and cart luggage to address given on its arrival at Ocstiiiatiun.' in order U> check luggage through.it is, of course, essential' that the passenger holds a ticket for the actual points between which' ho desires; to check. Where a ticket iis not held - whon luggage is collected, the contractor '■"■■■ will collect the fare arid hand the person concerned an order to be exchanged"', at tho booking-office window foi • a ticket -.' for th© journey to-.lje made. By- this. '" means the • convenience : of the. 1 passenger'"'; is fully met,: and the" interests of .the , ': railwaj arc wnscrve4,. ..,. ■ -.. ;.