WELL PUNCHED

NZ Truth, Issue 1198, 15 November 1928, Page 6

WELL PUNCHED

No RIP* For Rail Travellers

There really are indications that the new highly-salaried general manager of the N.Z. Government j Railways does intend to do something towards popularizing travel under Government control, TP there is one thing more than another which. demands his early con-^ f sideration.it is the question of ticket inspection., As it hag;l)een caxried out for years it ia nothing", tout an unnecessary source of irritation to travellers who are disturbed every thirty miles or: so .with the everlasting refrain "All tickets, > please." The soot, and dust-begrimed traveller may just be settling into a state as near resembling slumber as is possible under the circumstances, or has reached some thrilling climax m his halfcrown detective yarn, or is eloquently describing the crucial moment at the eighth hole, when the thread of his mind is snapped by that unnecessary summons of "All tickets, please." „ Surely it does not require a super-, intelligence to devise a scheme which would do away with this harassing and monotonously reiterated demand. It could very easily be overcome by issuing long distance travellers with a small colored disc of cardboard which might be attached to the lapel 'of the coat, and made returnable to the guard when the ticket -.is surrendered at the last stop ■ before the destination • Is reached. . - Railway travel m the .Dominion. . cannot be said to be. particularly , " pleasurablte or comfortable, ;: : even ;Y for those who can afford first class > fares, broken as it is with tedious .: stops and bone-wracking starts, ' : not to mention leaking cars, and ill-kept conveniences. . To judge by the recent remarks made by Sterling m. regard to motor service competition it would not be at aJlsurprlsing to see some further ..bureaur cratic-cum-socialistic legislation passed if the Reform party return, -power; which will be aimed .at all transport; competition,' and have for its object the stifling of* all opposition. : \ > With the advent of better roads, and,, consequently speedier - transportation,: ''-■'■' with' at least as" much . comfort, . the railways "will be still further shorn of their passenger traffic unless. they give a greater consideration to the traveller and to meet this menace, legislation of a repressive nature will be introduced, with hypocritical excuses, to crush private enterprise. . • ... Seven hours, less ten minutes from Auckland to Kotorua— one hundred and seventy-one miles- — works out a little over twenty-four miles "an hour! Is it any wonder that travellers by rail become disgusted? : And. as if to remind them that they ; are being' transported by the Government comes that aggravating Injunc-. tion every few miles or so of: "All tickets, please!" . .