SLEEPERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 435, 18 February 1909, Page 4

SLEEPERS.

RAILWAY REGULATIONS CRITICISED. SOME SUGGESTIONS. Persons desiring to,-travel, comfortably, to ■ Auckland by way of the' Main Trunk lino, naturally wish:to'ensure a good night's repose, and a man of method will see to ,his ■ board i and bed • well ahead not only, at his' destination, but -whilst en route- to it; - when a maa commences to make; his arrange- ~ ments on the linos indicated he strikes regit-;. lations—and . trouble. 1 If at - present iono wishes to leave for Auckland on Thursday, knowing that the accommodation' is limited, : one naturally wishes to book his berth a few V days ahead, but. the bright pink regulations say that if you are leaving oil Thursday yon shall not book (and pay for) your berth on ; Monday ;or ' Tuesday.-; ' Tho -. regulations say r that no person may book a berth by "sleeper" until the day before ho is leaving, and-then only• on production of a first-class, ticket. There is no "first como first served" method about this .arrangement; which there., certainly should be—that is knocked on the l :' head by the "day before" regulation, so that nobody can ' make; complete ■ arrangements well ahead, as they mignt visit the station the day .beore: they leave, and then be. told that; all the;berths are booked, though one had made - up one's - mind to leave on that date a fortnight before. ■ ■ Another- point is' that, ■ however anxious and' willing to pay a second-class passenger, may- ; be, he cannot book a ; sleej>ing-berth. Thev official argument-in explanation, of this rule : . is that . if. aperson can afford to pay for a . sleeping-berth he should purchase a firetrClass : tickot; but there might very easily ; be cases in which, a .person. of; : moderate meanß,;can : ' : only afford to pay the • second-class rates i .whilst at the same time he may, not be in; 'a fit state of health to forego tne best and' 'easiest/ night's rest : procuraDlo. Especially may this- frequently; bo. the case,: as the; Main 3 Trunk line is the quickest way to Rotorua, which the Government , advertises. .. in four colours as an excellent place for those , in. poor . health.: Second-class and a "sleeper" would not- be so bad, but second-class_ and; no "sleeper,""over sudh a length of railway'; track, will have its; drawbacks. In any case, could not second-class "sleepers" he provided? '; Anothei;;_ ; idea, of. r which, there has been some criticism bf late,,is that which provides' -for , the. opening of ;the ticket office a 'fow minutes before, the train leavqs. In-any. case there should be places in town where railway : tickets are. purchasable now the' daily 1 mail: service is' in operation),, as is th 6 ;; case! in America. ;,.Anothervintonveniencs to' the public; is the .'departure'. and arrival of ; . the'-Aucyahd' 'express .at; : the Thorndoa Station.; The Department:is urged to change the; terminus to the LambtonStation, which,-' though not so central in point ;of population, as /the To Aio Station, . would be a.Tcasonabla' concession to the public. . '