ANOMALOUS RAILWAY CHARGES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1582, 18 March 1882, Page 13

ANOMALOUS RAILWAY CHARGES.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, - Will you kindly allow mo a few lines In your valuable paper to oxposo an act of injustice which happened to mo and which frequently happens to other up-country people who are ignorant of the ways and means of travelling by Colonial railways.

To be brief, I bad occasion to take advantage of the reduced fates to bring a sick child nine years old to Dunedin to see a doctor. I asked for one half-fare for the child. The station-mastor told me there were no half-fares during the cheap trips, bo I paid full fere ; but what was my astonishment on mentioning the matter in the train to find that there were two, if not more, half- fares taken out at the Kingston station, and the guard confirmed this statement by saying that he had several half-fares on the down trip that day. I can only come to the conclusion that I was imposed on because I was a stranger from tho country. The fortunate possessors of the half-fare tickets were residents of Queeijatown, and in a good position, and the children two or three years older than the one I was conveying ; so that it is very cvi' dout that, in the oyes of tho Kingston stationmaster, that broadcloth has its advantages over serge ; and I hope his diligence will be rewarded by promotion, or, at the least, a romoval to another terminus, where hia abilities can be turned to better account.— l am, &c,

Frederick O&skn.

Skippers, March 7th.