A COMPLAINT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 54

A COMPLAINT

(To the Editor “N.Z. Mail.") Sir, —A>s one of those who attended the Bummer meeting of the Wairarapa Racing Club at Tlauherenikau, and knowing that your column is a widely read one amongst racing people, I l>eg leave to protest i gainst the inadequacy of the train arrangements for the meeting under notice. There are a number of outstanding defects in connection with this club’s gathering but the poor train service is the chief. In the first place: The special train

which was timed, to leave Featlierston at 6.25 on Monday evening should not be despatched until 7 o’clock. Many people who remained on the course to see the last race ruu found themselves "left” when they commenced searching for a ’bus to carry them to the railway station. The ’bus proprietors had disappeared never to return that day. Certain it is that one or two shrewd drivers did come back, and picked up a load or two of tired individuals who had tramped about two miles in the rain. I suffered this experience, and witnessed the cheering spectacle of my train moving out of the railway station when within a hundred yards of it. There were others —dozens — in the same boat; and if the club officials could have beard the complaints I’ll they would speedily take steps to rectify this matter. The ’bus service, itseif, is also behind the times. The ’bus proprietors did all in their power, but they could not possibly cope with the-\tiaffie in a satisfactory manner. Either the club must build a light line of railway or vastly improve the existing arrangements.

Another grievance is that only four carriages were placed on the ‘‘wild-cat goods train which conveyed to Wellington the contingent who visited the course on the second day. It is a discredit to the Railway Department that passengers who paid first class fares should be compelled to sit on carriage platforms and take turn about sitting on each other’s knees. This is what occurred on Tuesday night. Several, in a spirit of resignation, sat down amongst the feet of their fellows on the floors of the carriages and made the best of their unhappy lot. If the people who attend the races are compelled to travel by the slow goods train (which, by the way, left Feathenston at 8.10 and arrived at Wellington at 12.20, .over four hours late) then let there be sufficient carriages to cope with the traffic. If the club does not do something to rectify these matters it is not doing its duty either to its patrons or itself.-I am, etc., PROTEST.