25 YEARS AS A RAILWAY PORTER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 167, 18 July 1939, Page 9

25 YEARS AS A RAILWAY PORTER

MR. C. VV. TASSELL RETIRES MARTON, July 16. i To have assisted in transporting the j Prince of Wales’ luggage, during the ■ New Zealand tour in 1921 and to have ' seen him in person on the Marton [platform, are some of the treasured [experiences of Mr. C. W. Tassell, who ’after 26 years’ service with the railway as passenger porter, has retired. ;Mr. Tassell was also on duty at. the [ time the Duke of Duchess of York, now the King and Queen, passed ' through Marton. 1 The life of a railway porter is not an altogether enviable one. It entails [working at all hours of the day and night, in all weathers. Mr. Tassell had ' two shifts, working from 3.5 a.m. Lu [ 10.20 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. Many times it has been blowing a colu southerly, accompanied by rain, and Mr. Tassell has had to cycle down tu the station at 3 o’clock in the morning. Mi’. Tassell was born in London, and came out to New Zealand in the steamer Tongariri, landing in WellingI ton oil November 23, 190 f. He went to MakuKuko, Hawke’s Bay, where he i spent six months and then spent two years in Woodville, before coming to Marton. He obtained employment al Mr. J. Meyer’s brickyard. Soon after he was appointed porter at the Taij nape station and after spending two ; years there, left to take up private employment in Ohakune. He was i there for just over eight months when : he again took up portering, this time in Marton in 1916. Since that date he has never been out of the town. Many a traveller will miss his cheery word. He has always been ihelpful, courteous and obliging to those who have sought his service. Mr. Tassell served under five stationmasters, in Marton, Mr. Lang, Mi. Morgan, Mr. J. Jones, Mr. A. P. Moore and Mr. J. White, who has been stationmaster for the last 8i years. He is well versed in train numbers and not one train enters the yards of which Mr. Tassell does not know the number. Now Mr. Tassell intends to take his leisure after over a quarter of a century as a passenger porter.