THE RAILWAY REGIME.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1114, 29 April 1911, Page 3

THE RAILWAY REGIME.

Sir,—'When waiting at the Wellington Railway Station a few evening-;, ago' I look n note of pome of (ho notifications thero displayed for tlio public information. I quote Hie appended ones as specially significant:— "The window will be open for the sale of tickets fifteen minutes before each train is due to depart. On race days and holidays, tickets may be procured at anv limo during oP.icc hours. Persons must not loiter and congregate on railway station platforms." Now, sir, I turn to the official railway lime-table and there I find that the booking ofiices at, a number of- stations, of which Lambton (Wellington) is one, "'will bo open continuously for sale of tickets between the hours of !) a.m. and 5 n m daily (Sundays excepted), and the ticket offices at other stations throughout tho Dominion will be open at least fifteen minutes before advertised lime of departure of train; and on race davs and holidays, tickets will bo sold 'at all times during the day.'" Further on is the regulation that at a number of stations specified, both Wellington stations being included, of course, tickets will bo obtainable tho day Iwforo that on which (hoy are intended for use, and for which they will bo dated. Tho occasion I refer to was a holiday and a race clay—Easter

Monday. I was waiting, with n crowd of others, to procure a ticket to Petoue. The window was kept closed till less than ten minutes prior to the train starting, and then up it went with a bang, and tho clerk had scarcely time to givo change, for which the intending passengers had, <ju moro than- one occasion, to scram bio on the floor after. A'ow, all this haste, and scramble and shoving and bud temper was avoidable had the regulation lieen complied with to have the booking, office open continuously for the sale of tickets._ Why is the regulation not complied with? I can assure you 1 would not have had the temerity to have asked that agile-handed young man behind tho window for a ticket for next day, and yet 1 would have been within my rights in doing so. I should have expected instant annihilation had I made such a request, judging by his dictatorial demand lo "Look .sharp, now!" Had the window been open, as specified, "continuously for sale of tickets," tho crowding and annoyance caused thereby would have been altogether obviated. It docs seem such a simple solution of tho problem, and yet tho Department does not appear able to grasp it. And, sir, I venture to predict that tho reckless wa.vi in which the passengers -on literally] driven into the carriages on this suburban : line will some day result in a fatal accident. Within a few seconds after -the train's arrival, the slowest or most feeble passenger has lo get on board or run a risk of serious injury or losing his passage. If there is a Department of the public service that needs reorganising, leek, stock and barrel, root and branch, that one surely is (he Railway Department.—l am, etc., DIOGENES.