RAILWAY BYE-LAWS.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 73, 1 March 1883, Page 2

RAILWAY BYE-LAWS.

♦ The case heard yesterday at the R.M.. Court was of considerable interest — the police v Messrs Bill and Beach for a breach of the railway bye-laws, by geton the train when in motion on January 30th. Both defendants are English tourists, and the proceedings instituted against them by the police have made them involuntary visitors to Feilding, as they were summouml from Wellington. The evidence for the j-rosecution was very clear, and Mr Bill, who conducted the defence, admitted that it was perfectly correct. But unfortunately for the success of the police it was not sufficient to procure a conviction. On the other hand the evidence for the defence was conclusive of the fact that the offence against the particular bye-law had been committed and if brought forward by the other side would have materially altered the aspect of the case. One of the witnesses for the defence clearly showed he had offended against the Jaw by being in a carriage without a ticket, and also of having left the train when it was in motion, besides having contributed to the offence of the defendants by assist- ' ing to crowd the platform of the carriage and preventing them and other passengers taking their places in the carriage. The Bench could only get out of the difficulty by'dismisßing the case. After due consideration we think this was the oest plan under the circumstances. At the date of the occurrence (Jan. 30) in commenting upon it, we remarked : " One thing to be said in excuse is that the platform of the carriage was, as usual, crowded to such an extent that passengers could with, difficulty get on the carriage at all, and until passengers are compelled to take their seats before the train starts, such occurrences are likely to be frequent." We still hold this opinion, and we have no doubt but that after the remarks which fell from the Bench yesterday, stationmastefs and guards will nee that carriage platform's are cleared and the passengers seated before starting the trains. This they should do for their own sakes. Any person attempting to enter a train after it is started could their easily be detected and prevented from doing so. To make this plan useful it would be necessary for each and every guard and staliontnaster to net in a precisely similar manner on all parts of the line. Guards shnnld also remember thatthe law does not. permit them e+pn to %?\ on a moving train, and that the police could proceed uguinst guards every time they do soj and it is well-known that no guard ever does get on a train until it is started. ;:••'-■>