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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 18 October 1880, Page 2

Little by little the meaning of the new railway tariff is unfolding itself. There is one feature in connection with the changes that is deserving of notice, and that is the passenger charge from Dunedin to Christehureh —a distance of 230 miles —and rice versa. It was, under the old arrangement, 57s Gd ; under the new it is 44s Gd. This change has been made with the idea of increasing the rarenue from passenger traffic by cutting into the patronage now bestowed upon steamers. But, whilst the fare from Dunedin to Christehureh is 44s Gd, that from the same place to Ashburton—a distance of 178 mile3 —is 44s 7d; to South Rakaia, 483 lOd ; Selwyn, 52s Id ; Rolleston, 53s 4d, &c. The same anomaly occurs, of course, in reckoning from Christehureh to Duneclin. For instance, from Christchurch to Hampden—a distance of 174 miles —is 433 7d, whilst from the same place to Dunedin—sG miles further —it is only 44s Gd. The travelling public will not be slow in seeing how to work this stupid tariff to their own advantage. It is not likely that if they can get to an intermediate station at a lower rate by booking right through to Christehureh or Dunedin, they will fail to do it. The departni.ent will therefore lose quite as much as it will gain by the change. Such a result cannot be avoided. jSfo man bound to Rolleston from Dunedin could be prevented from taking a ticket to Christehureh. When he arrived at Rolleston he would, without making any ndo, leave the carriage. He had received all the benefit he required at the hands of the department, and he would not further trench upon them 5 or, perhaps, he had discovered that he must tarry at Rolleston for r week or so previons to proceeding to Christehureh. The traveller from Christchurch to Hampden would act similarly. Those who would dare to prevent this economising by railway travellers would be met by defeat. English courts have before this decided that if a railway traveller pays for a longer distance, he cannot be prevented from shortening the journey at will. All that now remains to be done by the railway authorities i 3 to provide the fullest possible printed information showing how travellers can economise by working the oracle. We have ordinary railway time tables, which are useful for all ordinary purposes ; but to expect an intending traveller to himself work out the problem of what will be tbo cheapest way to travel to a given spot under the hew tariff, would be expecting too much. We think that the. railway department might cap their wise policy, by isstfing ready-reckoners for t£is ; purpose. ~ Of course, if they do not elect

to take our advics in the interests of '.he travelliug public, the trnvoilin// public will have to suffer the inconveniehce of reckoning for then-selves.