PASSENGERS DEMAND FARE REFUND

Chronicle (Levin), 4 September 1946, Page 3

PASSENGERS DEMAND FARE REFUND

— Press Associaiion

G'OMPLAINTS ON CONDITIONS ON SHIPS

By Telegraph

WELLINGTON, tiept. 3. ! A petitlon in triplicatc to be sent to the Priuie Minister of New Zealand, Australiu and to the iloaie authorilies, was signud by eivillan passengers of the Largs Bav. before sJie arrived at Fre inantle un her way to New Zealand from Great Britain. It deiuunds a re . turn oc ] ortioa of the passage moirey paid by them because of the poor food, ai'comiiioJat ion aud attention received i on tlie voyage. This was stated by Miss Lillian Jen kins, of Nelson, former ship^ing coixi punv empJoyee, who returjied in the , ship toduy. ' ' I went awuy in the Ruahine in February last year wlien siie was u troop ship. I have eome baek in a hell ship," slie said. " Passengers to Aua trulia wero ehurged the same t'are as we . wero to New Zealand. When they got off the ship at iTeinantie those who 1 came aboard to take their eabins for ' the rernainder of the trip, wero eliarged .£31," The petilion asked for a ret'und oi the difference between the i'are paid and third elass rato. If no salisfuelion uas obtained from the Prinie Ministers ! it was intended that copies be sent to the leaders of the Oppositions iu tlie eountries eoncerned. C'onsiderabie dissutisfaetion was ex jtressed by the New Zealand troops who wero repatriated in the ship. They had no roinplaints to niake of food or sicoping aecominodatiou. It was ubove seg regation from the other passengers. Among them wero soine whose wives wero travelling on the ship as generu! : passengers. At lirst those iueu wero not nilowed to go to the sxuoke room, lounge • or promenade deck to seo their wives. They wero restrieted to the welJ deck aft oi the mainmast and their accom modatioii was below. After representa tions had been made'it was stvted they wero "as a concossion" given typewrit ten permils to go to tiie lounge and suioke room wilh their wives. They woro ' huwever, not allowed to have t hui r meals with them at any stage of the voyage. Tiie troops hud to remain in their restrieted area throughout the voyage. They weri; not allowed to at lend any of the ship's enterlainments . or eonrerts. When tlie matter was referred to the representative of the Bhaw Savill and Albion Compuny in Wellington it was said the complaints wero not the eon ceru of the sliipping eompany. "Tlie sl.ip is undcr Ihe control of the Minis ■ iry oi' War Transport iu Britain. AlJ a rrungements are mad o by thtyn. We .lolleel the fares on their boliulf. Tliat • ^ passenger did not see the'indomuity form till >he went to tlie sliipping oflice uttei" she'liad earlier paid her i'are by clieque, would be quite normal. We are only aeting as agents and the form ia presented to tlie passenger for sigifhturb before a ticket is made out, The aci coxiiinodation. of troops and their re- ' striction of movement is a niatter for ! the. Bea Transport Ministry and 0.0. troo]is on the ship. We again have no eontrol- ' '