MORE " MAIM TRUNK."

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 143, 16 December 1908, Page 7

MORE " MAIM TRUNK."

A REQUEST FOR "EXCURSION FARES." "I would like," writes "Paterfamilias," "to ask the Minister of Railways or the Premier the reason that the excursion fare to Auckland from Wellington or vice versa is to be no cheaper I'hian tho ordinary fares. Sometime back at Auckland, Sir Joseph Ward stated that the fares would be : — Ordinary, £1 19k Id first and £1 Is 2d second-class , holiday return, £3 11s first and £1 15s 6d second-class. If the ordinary fares published bff you recently, are to be in vogue for Christmas, how is the Prime Minister's statement to be explained? Are we to be penalised this Christmas to make up some deficiency or is it to help make a surplus?'' The departmental reply to "Paterfamilias" if> that Sir Joseph Ward, when referring to the holiday rates, said that they "will be charged," and so they would when the Railway Department had compleie control of the line. At present a portion of it is in the hands of the Public Works Department, and the c'n,arge for through passengers is a "combination fare." It is mentioned that excursion rates for the AucklandWellington trip will not be arranged till the line is finshed and handed over entrely to the Railway Department, fairly early in the New Year.