EASTBOURNE FERRIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2866, 2 September 1916, Page 7

EASTBOURNE FERRIES

Sir,—Seeing in a recent issue of your paper, a very amusing account of an old woman losing the boat, I thought it would' niake the public smile —it was so funny, awfully funny,, but being an old woman m.yself and a traveller bv the boat, I could not see the joke. I, have lost the" boat many times, to the amusement of certain .onlookers. It was awfully funny, ho doubt, but not to the old woman. The Borough Council laid up one of their boats in June last and the other had to do all the Work. The time-table was altered for the early boat to 7.50, in the darkest and coldest and wettest month of the year. Not satisfied with 'that, they made the 5.20 five minutes earlier, and my business plac£- is situated at the further end of Courtenay;'Place, and I have not go,t used to the altered tram time-table, 'so with a new tram timetable and new -boat time-table tho officials had plenty of fun seeing me left behind. : Then-I had to wait till a quartor to 7 for another boat, so it meant I had to walk the streets to keep up circulation, or if it was too wet I could sit in a-cold waiting room till the next . boat. At the end of June the last time I used that boat, I got ■up just as the men wore removing the gangway, but. nb notice was taken of me, nor did any of the men try to get me on.' I. have suffered from bronchitis all my. life and I had had several attacks—small ones—but that night was the last straw. I never was well from that. The waiting, about brought on an. exaggerated attack with congestion and pleurisy. Of course the council will say they;can't help it, but!think they haye no right to inconvenience people like that. An ol,d woman!.? life is nothing to thorn—either her sufferimjs in body or pocket. I have been home from work fo.r nearly two months and', am not recovered yet-, and whatever the council may say, it was'the nights I. / spent walking about waiting for an hour and a half for tho boat I havo to thank for my present condition. .1 am- not the only one who was left" behind, but I think-1 am the one who has suffered most. I have left the bay, and I hope I won't have to come ■buck; at.any rate, till there is a chango in the regime.—l am, etc.. F.M.D;