RAILWAY TICKET SCRAMBLE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 4

RAILWAY TICKET SCRAMBLE.

TO BE RECTIFIED. In icsponsd to a request by somo of hu constituents, Mr. R. A. Wright,. M.P., wrote to the Minister for Railways recently, asking that some better arrangement might bo arranged in the matter of £ho salo of tickets at tlio Wellington (Thorndon) 6t&tion on Sunday mornings. , "At tho present' time,"'tho letter stated, "the proceedings moro noarly lcsemblo Donnybrook''Fair,,'''than"',,anything elsej-a crowd of peopld"s'triiggliiig'and : fighting for . tickets, with tho result that women and children are injured." Tho writer suggested (1) that the tickolHco bo opened earlier; (2) that moro than ono ticket-office bo opened; and (3) that a stout hand-rail bo erected before tho ticketbox, so as to compel purchasers' to enter at one end and depart at tho other. Mr. Wright also stated that on a recent Sunday morning tho train to Khaudallah had to bo delayed on account of tho scramble for tickets.

The Minister has replied as follows:— "Sir,—With roferenco to your lotter of the 9th instant, in regard to the accommodation for tho booking of passengers at Wellington "(Thorndon), I have tho honour to inform you that strict instructions havo been given to tho staff to seo that tho tickot-offico .windows are opened in' ample time for tho booking of passengers, and instructions havo been given for barriers to be provided (if practicable) in front of tho windows at Wellington (Thorndon).' It la recognised that the accommodation at that station is not all that might be desired, and some additions aro at present contemplated. You will, however, 1 havo no doubt, agrco that it would bo unwise to incur any larga expenditure in improving a structure that must,, within a very short timo, bo domok ished in favour of an up-to-dato station U servo the business of both lines."