LOST RAILWAY TICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18322, 12 February 1923, Page 8

LOST RAILWAY TICKET.

LITTLE GIRL'S ORDEAL.

FORGED TO MISS TRAIN.

ANXIETY OF PARENTS.

[BY telegraph.—OWN correspondent.' TE AWAMUTU, Saturday.

An illustration of the serious consequences that may arise from the platform restrictions in force at Auckland is afforded "by the experience of the daughter of a well-known citizen of Te Awamutu. The child had been spending the holidays in the northern part of tTIe province. Last Monday night she was escorted by friends to • the Auckland station, and after seeing her safely beyond the station barrier the friends departed. In the excitement of finding the train and a seat, the child lost her ticket, though she still held the reserved seat check. A friendly ' porter called an official, but the latter politely but firmly refused all assurances "that _ mother will pay when I get there." Using her wits in a commendable way the child induced the official to return with her to the barrier, and the porter on duty remembered that she had a ticket passing the barrier earlier in the evening, Neither the entreaties nor assurances of the child availed; the official was immovable and, the express steamed out," leaving hsr, friendless and ' almost penniless, -■ and practically unknown. ! Fortunately the child , remembered the suburban address of a family friend, and using the few pence at her command in tram, fares, she managed to find a shelter ■ for tlje night, and reached her home by the next available train on the following Meanwhile the parents, having made a fruitless journey to the night express, communicated by telephone with the friends who had , accompanied the child to the railway station,- and naturally they became alarmed as,, to what actually had happened. All enquiry only served to increase the alarmthe child had disr appeared and not the least trace could be found, , , , Relieved when ultimately she stepped safely - from the train on the following day they became indignant on learning of the official treatment of their daughter. They are prepared to make all due allowance for official dread of fraud and deception, but they contend that it was callous to send a child adrift in \thc» knowledge that she was alone, and friendless, and that she was practically penniless. , They submit that if departmental regulation prohibited the conveyance of a "collect"' passenger the least that could have been done was to advise the parents of her misadventure and thus have saved them a night of anxiety and also avoided exposing the child to danger and harm. Incidentally it need be added that continuing her search after the express had departed, the child- discovered the rail ticket. It had merely fallen into one of the packages die was carrying.