THE Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1879. AN AUTHORISED ROBBERY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 47, 7 June 1879, Page 2

THE Manawatu Times.

SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1879. AN AUTHORISED ROBBERY.

"Words arc things, and a drop of ink falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes ." "' thousands, perhaps millions think." ; v . • : '

Wjb h&ye been asked to bring- the f olibWing little matter under the notice of the iGteperai Manager of the Manawatu Kail^ay, with a desire to tnow if ifc : be by his sanction, or with his know-ledge, such bare-faced and impudeni;:impositions are prabtised.: : PirsVwe must state that there' is a proyision- iti ; the rail way regulations whiou'states'that tickets issued for a distance of twenty-five miles, shall be available for two day at the return fare. 'Now, although .Terrace E.nd is within a conple of chains from biiogtventy,five miles disl^ntfi'qm Boston, it has«always boeii the ; cusldm toi consider lfc'as coming iirider the; prpyision, and consequently travellers from that, station the^ •privilege o£ the reduction. A few week* 1 ago (two gentlemeri^-in fact, official's m connection^ with the-CoiintyGouncU—to,qk,out-return tickeW for Fdxtbri, for which they paid fare and a half^naturajly cony cluding^that they would be allowed as. hitherto to return next day.; How.ever ' upoii presenting thfe tickets next indrri- r irig-to- the station master at Fbxton, they were ; curtly told: they Trouldjhave to pay fresh fare. Upon expostulating, and drawing his .attention .to the fact that there were dozens of precedents for the step,, the official an language more plain than polite informed them that'he know h,is business and 'was not going to be dictated ; tq. - Under,, -the circumstances, then, there was n^o, other course open than Jq.bow to the dictuni of the man m povver, and pay another six shilHng and sixpence, which, the travellers 'did. Application was then made for a refund /of the difference between the single an^l .returnc ticket, which was-also flatly! refused, so., th^t it will; be, .plainlysiseen tliat : saoj; only hadthe gentlemen, to pay^ the^price i >(?f-two extra istngiefai'es.b.ut they were, each 'cheated cut of three and ;tteee pence besides.: The question iwhich naturally ari ses, : then , who is to .^ blam e m the matter. As we~ have asserted, it h^cl been custocinry to consider Terrace End as coming within the. provision entitled to the reduction, altlioujih, by whom^such a couces3ion had been^ made dpesiipt appear: and it is certainly odd that a very subordinate official, li^e the station master at Foxton, should be 'air-, lowed to ride the high hor^e, and a moment's notice, or. for some peculiar, personal whim, fling an existing arr-ahge-rnent,tq the wind.: . He must havo well know^thaj;tl\e .practice, >vas m force, as aaVantase had been frequently, taken of t))e privilege by the same gentle men j3eforeVand ; cbnsequentty:c6raniittie the error of: permitting it. Supposing, that either, of the travellers had refuse.^ to^ pay .arid persisted jxi getting into the train, undoubtedly 'according to. the station- master'^ ruling they woujld ;be amenable to justice, and \:ery likely be handed over loathe mercies of the_ law ; but hadjthe niattar cdrt^e to' that," we very- ; much ijttestton whettbr. the contrary of the officious official would have heen upheld, it i.s more than. possibles. he would have paid dear for its presujmption and impudence, However, the ei?tra. claim was paid, and yire beliey;e»a gtiatemenlfbflthe casafoiv warded to Mr,- JEtoTHERA?! by the yictiins, but whether the m'achin;ery . of the-deparJ;meyifc:h;as lieeii put m motion to investigate the matter or not we. do. nbt;k.n6Wi! b\it the persons most interested—those frbmi the money, was wrongful)y forced— have hea,rd> nothing further, although , wb believe, direcjpons have; been rssued, .ta discontinue the vcnystom hitlrerto; carried. Eeklmerston :iV; we/believe, about' twfenty-fbu^iftTles disf ant from Foxthri, ahcrr we certainly think thati-nnttl^fhV morning fcrath is running, jfekets available "rpr. tw^days, i iisVued/%HisTiigle fyre. 'liswe "pbmted out^ ti} A recent iss ae rj?7 t% f n v adbquacy of the railway." acebjribdatton person s from ■Palmetwton ybthgrb'astness at^tjie- port are necessitated to stop pver ' : n'igli't^wlvereas;i^t)|ey; : arnyed tlier-e at anything like: a jreasbnable hour they wqn,ld be able^ore'feurn by the eyening 1 * trafii, fns Kencjß tfte dep^ttime.n^ shpu]rl try/ KathWto toake bYery, cbiic^s^pi\ ir i^V'^f^^^^ 1^ vHharay yeoog-