DRUNKENNESS ON TRAINS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9810, 31 March 1910, Page 1

DRUNKENNESS ON TRAINS.

DIFFICULT AND THANKLESS TASK. A resident of Ashburton sometime ago wrote to the Hon J. A. Millar Minister of Railways, m regard to drunkenness on trains. \b.a Minister, before leaving for Australia, wrote the following letter in raply, which je published in the "Guardian : With reference to your representations reI yarding the reported drunkenness and misconduct in railway trains by passengers when under the influence of liquor, I have the honour to inform you that the matter has been very exhaustively inquired into, and from the reports 1 gather that although some of the passengers had liquor with them m the cars, none of the guards saw anyone the worse of liquor, nor did they hear any remarks to which exception could bo taken. "A great difficulty in connection with these cases lies in the fact that passengers are very reluctant to give evidence against their fellow-passen-gers even in oases where there may bo grounds for complaint, and it has frequently been found, when the Railway Department has taken action, that the offenders escape punishment owing to the lack of evidence and support given to the Department by persons ridin" in the same car, who could not but bo aware of the misconduct. You will readily understand that in such cases the railway authorities have a very difficult and thankless task. They are, however, desirous of stopping drinking, or anything approaching misconduct, in the trains, and if passengers who are riding in the carriages where such misconduct occurs would complain to the guard, at the same time indicating the person or persons who were creating the disturbance or annoying them, and then come forward and give evidence in support of the charges laid by the Department, action could be taken and no- doubt sustained in many cases, i "I can assure you that personally 1 am very desirous of preventing anything that may give offence to passengers travelling by_ train. The railway staff have strict injunctions on th'o point, and if the members of the travelling public would assist in the direction T have indicated there is no doubt whatever that any misconduct that might occur would very quickly be stamped out."