The Globe. FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1875.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 282, 7 May 1875, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1875.

The fact that passengers on the numerous railway lines object to being imprisoned in the different carriages they occupy, without a chance of escape, seems to be coming under the notice of the Provincial Council. Some years ago a long letter appeared in the Australasian, in which the writer gave an account of a trip round New Zealand. There were many inaccuracies and misstatements in the letter we allude to, but the description of the fate of the passengers travelling in the trains between Lyttelton and Christchurch was quite true, and attracted, at the time, some attention. The windows at that time were barred, and both doors were locked, so that in the event of an accident the passengers in any carriage would have been compelled to remain in it until they were liberated with axes, if the door could not be used. This was not a pleasant feeling, and the writer in the Victorian weekly made some very strong remarks about it. He even went so far as to say that such a state of things would not be tolerated in Victoria for a week. However, the Canterbury people did not rise en masse, but still complaints were frequent and ineffectual. It is true that now some slight alteration has been made, and the bars across the windows of the carriages have been removed; but passengers are still locked up, and the only chance of egress if an accident was to take place is through these windows. There are signs, nevertheless, that an attempt will be made during the present sesssion to induce the authorities to allow at least one of the carriage doors on the narrow gauge lines to be unlocked. Mr Walker in the Provincial Council on Tuesday evening moved, “That in the “ opinion of this Council it is not “ necessary to lock the carriage doors “ on the narrow gauge railways whilst “ the train is in motion.” And after a little discussion this was agreed to on the voices. It need hardly be said that “ the traffic manager had reported “ very strongly against the motion.” That was a matter of course. Traffic managers are responsible to a great degree, and they naturally desire to be possessed of as much arbitrary power as possible. But we quite agree with Mr Wynn Williams when he said “ that he did not think any jury would “ hold the traffic manager responsible “ for an accident which occurred from “ the stupicjity of the party injured."

The Courtenay Road Board, on the same day as this motion was carried in the Provincial Council, passed a resolution directing the surveyor “ to write “ to Mr Jollie, M.P.C., for the district, “ asking him if possible to get a reso- “ lution passed in the Council that one “ of the carriage doors on the railway “ might be left unlocked.” Of course there are many arguments why the doors on the carriages of an exceptional line, like that between Lyttelton and Christchurch, should be locked, but we hope that the people of the country will insist on the narrow gauge carriages having one door left unlocked. A severe punishment should be inflicted on any one who, by his folly, or stupidity, rendered it necessary that the boon should be denied to the occupants of any one department, and such cases would, we think, be few and far between. In the American carriages, built, however, on a totally different principle to those in use on the lines in this province, passengers can walk out of one carriage into another, and when on the platform between two different carriages can stand and enjoy the fresh air if they are so inclined. Of course now and then an accident, or a suicide takes place, but such occurrences as these may safely be dismissed from the calculations of the danger attending the leaving one door of a narrow gauge carriage on a Canterbury line unlocked. We trust before long to see some carriages on the American principle in use on the lines now open in Canterbury, and we feel convinced that if once introduced* they will gradually perhaps, but surely, oust the present English style of carriage from our railways.