Soldiers’ Train Fares

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 112, 5 February 1941, Page 11

Soldiers’ Train Fares

Sir, —I wish to know why it is that several soldiers in uniform were sold tickets for the AVairarapa on Saturday last, January 25, and could not get on the train—nor can they reserve seats at Trentham to overcome this difficulty. When some of these men tried to sell their tickets back they were told to write to the superintendent in Wellington, and after some delay they may be able to get their money back, less 10 per cent. A soldier cannot afford more than two days’ pay for a useless train ticket, and as these two railcars, the only ones, are nearly always full and petrol is restricted, how can a man go home to see his people once a fortnight when he is off; —I am. etc., ONE OF THE MEN. Wellington, January 30.

Investigations by the Railways- Department disclose that a number of soldiers purchased railcar tickets for travel between Trentham and AVairarapa stations on January 25. Some of these men paid for reserved seats which were duly allotted. Those who did not reserve seats, and were unable to travel through lack of sufficient accommodation on arrival of the railcar at Trentham, were promptly refunded their fares in full; these were men who had purchased their tickets at Trentham station. It now transpires that a few men w’ho were unable to make the trip had procured their tickets at the Trentham Camp post office, where there are no facilities for reservations or refunds, and it was these men who had difficulties in obtaining immediate refunds of fares. If the correspondent is still in possession of his unused ticket, he will be able to obtain a refund of the full amount paid on application to the porter in charge at Trentham. The department does not enforce the 10 per cent, penalty in such cases.