CHEAP RAILWAY TRAVELLING.
, A controversy has been going on for some time past in commercial and railway circles in England on the propriety of taxing thirdclass passenger traffic, it is well known that there was a compact between the Government and the railway companies in England many years ago, that there should be no tax on a third-class passenger traffic which was then supposed to be unprofitable! on condition of a “Parliamentary train” being run on each line, stopping at every station, for which the charge snould only be a penny a mile. But the demand for this cheap traffic has so much increased of late years, and the receipts from it have so much exceeded that from the first and second class passenger traffic, that the Midland Company resolved at the close of 1871 on conveying third-class passengers by all their trains at a penny a mile, and were speedily followed in this by most of the other great companies, under belief that the tax on this class of passengers would not be insisted upon, although the trains did not stop at every station, tSo far from remitting this tax, however, the Government seem bent on enforcing its payment, and they make out a good case for this py the publication of the following figures relating to the business on three of the chief imes;—“Oh the Great Northern Eailway during the first half year of 1872 416,363 tirst-class passengers were carried, 1,417,634 Second, and 3,792.818 third, yieldingLlo2,o77, 375, and L 181,901 respectively. During tl*o corresponding period of 1873 there were P T7xnoE 7 ’S 1 J fsrßb ’ *'291,970 second, apd 4.492,§53 third-class travellers, yielding respectively L 104,788, L 94.835, andL229,305 This gives ap increase of 21,508 first-class passengers and L 2,711 ia money, a decrease of 125,694 second-class travellers and L 19,510,
and an increase of 699,835 third-class pas* sengers and 147,404, furnishing a total increase of 595,679 passengers and L 30.575 for the half-year. On the Midland Railway there has been a decrease of 4,492 first-class passengers or L 707, a decrease of 346,325 second-class travellers or L 40.969, but an increase of 1,139,510 third-class travellers or L 92 152 in money, giving a tetal increase of passengers to the extent of nearly 800,00 ', and in receipts of over 1,50,000. The North Eastern Company have fared even better than the two companies mentioned, having, notwithstanding a very large decrease of first and second class passengers, conveyed a total of 1,703,051 more passengers, and received L 70.644 extra in money.” With the dispute between the Government and these companies as to the payment of the tax demanded we have no sort of interest But whilst our lines are so fully employed as they are at this moment, does it not point to what might be done by cheaper rales? To us it seems to do so, though making allowance, of course, for the comparative scantness of our population.—‘Argus.’
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Evening Star, Issue 3424, 11 February 1874, Page 3
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489CHEAP RAILWAY TRAVELLING. Evening Star, Issue 3424, 11 February 1874, Page 3
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