SHOWING OFF.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 175, 27 January 1897, Page 2

SHOWING OFF.

Although the effect may be only temporary, yet the substantial fine indicted in the Palmerston S.M Court yesterday on a man who entered a train on the Napier line after it had left the Woodville station, may do some good. All station masters have observed that the practice of boarding and a lighting from trains when in motion is on the increase, and the greatest difficulty is experienced in suppressing it. No doubt these officials do nil that can be expected of them, for if they instituted a prosecution against each person who offended in this connection, too much otherwise valuable time would be wasted in attending the courts. The only way to eradicate the evil is to send a special guard with each train armed with power to act as a special constable or detecttve with full authority to proceed in each case without exception. Half a dozen convictions on each line would soon put a stop to the practice. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred men only jump in or out of a train when in motion "to show off" and these silly individuals should be taught that although an accident to them can be of no great consequence to anybody, yet as their bad example may lead women and children to follow, and poasibly sustain loss of life or serious injury, they must be restrained from their folly. The only way to do that is to prosecute a few acofe of them and in each case demand the extr* me penalty in fines. It must be remeHfcbered that when an accident does happen it is the Department and the officials who are most loudly con- , deemed by the uare&ectiqg public.