Railway Mismanagement.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 2009, 24 December 1886, Page 2

Railway Mismanagement.

To the Editor of the Standard,

Sib.—Allow me a little space to speak a few plain words to the public and the railway authorities on the disgraceful way we are treated upon the Wellington-Wairarapa line. If I were to treat under several head" ings the defects of onr railway system I could fill several columns, bnt as I am somewhat annoyed with what took place last Monday, I will oonfine myself to that alone. I left Wellington for the Wairarapa by tha afternoon train, and like many more who oannot afford the rninons price to travel comfortably in a first class carriage—called first class on this line—l took a second olass ticket. When a lady or gentleman travels ia the second class they do not expect to be free from some little annoyances, snob as a family of children eating all aorta of sticky stuff and climbing all over tha place to look out of the windows, or, what is worm, a few coarse-mouthed and perhaps half drunken characters. For these luxuries we are charged over 6s for the ride from Wellington to Oreytown and vioe versa. If we go first olass we have to pay another 4s. Well, as I have stated, I took a second class ticket and took my seat, and 1 must confess that I was ungeutlemanly enough to keep it, lor the carriage was so crowded that amts were at a discount. However, I relented at tha next station and made for a less crowded apartment, but I was " sold,” it was ail alike throughout the train, as far as the second olass carriages were concerned, and I had to stand and inwardly curse the confounded negligence of the railway department in treating ns like so many sheep. At length I took a vacant seat higher up the line, but the atmosphere of the carriage would have made an Inspector of Nuisances faint. As it was, two or three were looking very white and suddenly one person oast up her accounts before us all. This had the effect of leading two more to do the same, and then there were seats for those who were inconvenienced in other carriages. Now all this was through being packed together like sheep, from which there was no escape, and I think passengers should, when these things occur, call attention to them through the public press. It is dissstrons to good health ; it is making a public exposure of those who cannot aland the effect of a vitiated atmosphere, and irritating in the highest degree for passengers generally.

I am, (fee., Tbj.vku.ss.