Excursion Trains

Southland Times, Issue 19499, 31 December 1904, Page 1

Excursion Trains

To tho Editor. Sir,— Your correspondent " A Sufferer " x r oices the grievances of tho first-class passenger at holiday time. Allow mo to rto the same for the aecond-class passenger. Some timo ago during the holiday season I travelled from Invercargill to north of Uunedin with a lady and child and the usual impedimenta in the shape of rugs, luncheon baskets, books, etc. When w<) arrived at the InvercargiU platform every second-class carriage id a long train drawn by two engines was full to overfloaviag, and, under the guidance ,oi -Ahe Stationmaster, wo had to take refuge in a first-clAfis smoking carriage in the front of the train. I asked the guard to give me the first opportunity of shiftmg from the smoker. Be replied that he thought a nmnjber, of second-class passengers would leave the train at Mataura and we could then change our carriage. When the train reached Mataura and pulled up it over-lapped the platform at doth ends, and I hesitated to, tackle the job Of getting my party and traps out of the carriage on the track and then commence a hunt for. accommodation. The result was that the guard, in a miinner the reverso of courteous, threatened tb make me pay tho first-class fare. On continuing the journey next day from Uunedin the experience was precisely the sameEvery second-class seat -was occupied. Up and down the train we wandered, baggage in, hand until some Official told us wo must get into a first-class compartment. I agree .with '* A Sutferer " - that tt ia very unfair that second-class passengers should occupy first-class leafs to the ex, elusion of those who hold first-class tickets,' but I can assure him tjiat in soma cases at all ©vents the swontf-clasS man intrudes very unwillingly, •■ Por any ovtjn part I have resolved in the future to turn a deaf ear to the temptatit&js offered by cheap fares and religiously to eschew railway journeys at holiday time.— I am, etc., . ■ . . SKCOND-CLASS SUFFERER. Invercargill, 30th December.

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To the Editor . Sir,—" A Sufferer " " was apparentfy annoyed by a second-class passenger being allowed the, privilege qf sitting in a firstclass car., InrtWrtar the letter represents his own opinions. If he had hds seat he should hav* kept it. If there is no accommodation in the second-class, and room is available in first-class carriages, autely the guards or officials have - the eight to carry out tlie conditions of tha service in every direction in the interest and safety of the travailing public. V A Sufferer ' defeats himself by saying he had td go in a truck. N,o first-class passenger who Aad his seat would do that, so I presume he ia jtlst trying to get a smack at the railway officials. He "need not remind the railway staff of the duty they have to perform. They do it, and do not require anyone to point out the course they should follow as to pavmmt of ithe difference Jietween the lirst and second fares because that is already done 1 would, suggest that, your correspondent should have signed himsell '' , ' < c ' ' IJRB«TUI>ICEU.1 J RB«TUI>ICEU. Invercargill, 30th December,