PASSAGES TO LONDON

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 267, 7 August 1919, Page 6

PASSAGES TO LONDON

THIRD CLASS FARE RATES. Sir —I noticed iu your paper some time niiO that fares hud been reduced to England, first and second class, and ever since" I have been looking through,your rapcT for an announcement of a reduction of the third-class fare, seeing thav (hat is the class I 6hall have to go in. Now. there must be thousands like myself wlio have been working and doing their bit through this terrible war in different spheres that all helped to bring about peace. Sow I appeal through your payr that it is about time for those in power to remove the tax, aad let this class go and see the dear ones that they are anxious to see. We have been niarooju'd during this terrible war fronj our loved ones, but have braved it as thousands more have done. But now most of our soldiers are home, and peace is at last signed,'release those that belong to this class--th.o working class—who, in nianr cases, have a wife and children. How are they going to see those they love?' Remove the tax and give them a ohance.—l am, eic. THIRD CLASS. l"R'hen tho abovs letter was brought under the notice of the Wellington shipping offices which book passages, to. London the • explanation was tendered that the original rise in ,tbe passage money of. .£4O for saloon, JEIO for second 6aloon, and .£lB for steerage was ordered by the Shipping Controller in England, who at the time was desirous of stopping oversea travelline. Some time ago a reduction was made in tho saloon and 6econd-saloon fares—a reduction of 20 per cent.—nut the steerage rate remained the 6ame. The ri6e in faros as it now 6tonds averaies .£2O for each of the three classes. Another argument advanced in justification of the all-round increase is the slate of the labour world in England since the signing of the armistico—strike following striki-nand as the ships'i crews -.vages were raised, the fares and freights rose in sympathy. It is expected in some quarters that there will lie a decrease in the passage moneys before the end of the present year-1