A COMPLAINT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 114, 31 January 1918, Page 7

A COMPLAINT

Sir,—Up till now soldiers in uniform ha\o been' permitted to travel to Day's Bay for ninepence return, that is sixpence less than the ordinary fare, but imagine our disgust and astonishment . on Sunday morning when wo were told , that only returned soldiers can take . advuntago of the concessions. Now, , Sir, why is this? Is it because the : Borough Council is hard up? I think , not. Far from it, in fact. It costs a 1 soldier something between 10s. and 15s. when on week-end leave, by the timo ho pays for board, etc., yet they get no help from the Wellington tramways, Eastbourne ferry service (or any other concern of that kind) in the way of-concessions. In other large cities in tho Dominion soldiers are allowed to travel all over the tramway routes for Id., to say nothing of other concessions such as picture shows, etc. Just because AVollington has more soldiers in it than any other city in the country, tho various local bodies referred to are after every penny they can get out of tho soldier. Hoping for better treatment in the future,—l am, etc., ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED. January 27. [The authorities concerned state that the Eastbourne Borough Council is the only body in Wellington which has given concessions in fares to soldiers. Tho method until recently has been to allow concessions to all in uniform. Tho council has, however, found that the privilege has been greatly abused, it being availed of by many in uniform who wore in no sense sold"iers but were merely clerks employed in tho Defence Department. The council has therefore decided that tho only practicable way was to'restrict the privilego to returned soldiers in uniform who are identified by the returned soldier .badge. The council have also been inj'fluenced by the fact that the conces- | sion was originally granted to voluntary recruits and as. an incentive to recruiting. /The adoption-of compul.sory service, has altered the position completely. .It is also pointed out that •She council grants free passage on their steamers to. all .patients and nurses at the Lbwry.Bav Military Hospital.] .