SMOKING AND NON-SMOKING TRAVELLERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5599, 4 February 1879, Page 7

SMOKING AND NON-SMOKING TRAVELLERS.

A question with regard to the etiquette of railway travelling was raised recently (saye the Globe), and led to an altercation which, it is to be hoped, is not of very frequent occurrence. An erroneous opinion appears to prevail that carriages marked “smoking” are exclusively reserved for persons who consume tobacco. It has been the custom on some lines for the holders of season tickets who are also smokers to make up parties going to town, and to claim the right to reserve seats for friends who may subsequently join the train at stations nearer the metropolis. It is but right, of course, that persons who desire to smoke should select the carriages intended for their use, and when there is room in other portions of the train people who do not smoke make it a practice to avoid intruding upon those who do. It does not, however, by any means follow that those who cannot find room elsewhere ore necessarily to he ‘"excluded from using smoking carriages because they happen to be non-smokers. A party of smokers claiming a right to reserve seats for the smokers who may subsequently join the train are not justified in resenting the apearance among them of persons who have paid similar fares to their own, and who desire to get to their journey’s end as soon as possible. A case recently arose in which objection was taken to the addition of a passenger who appeared to be of the non-smoking class. The “seasons” in possession raised a chorus of opposition to the stranger. They asserted, first, that it was a smoking carriage ; and, secondly, that the seats were reserved for friends who would join at the next station. The first plea was accepted by the new comer; but to the second a demurrer was entered. A reference was made to the stationmaster, who, of course, ruled in favour of the intruder. An animated conversation ensued, in the course of which it was explained that as the train was quite full, and no other seat in a carriage of the same class could be found there was no alternative but to seek refuge among the smokers. The reply was, “This is meant for smokers,” to which the response was, “ How do you know that I do not intend to smoko P” The respondent was a lady.