CRONK CATHERING.

NZ Truth, Issue 84, 26 January 1907, Page 4

CRONK CATHERING.

A MATTER FOR THE RAILWAYS MINISTER. One sunny afternoon last week the waiter on the Christchuroh-Dunedin express said dinner was ready m the dining-car. A hungry traveller said "Beef !" and beef it was. Nat ordinary beef that lies calmly on the plate waiting for demolishment, out something altogether special m its Particular way. This beef came into the dining-car m such a manner as to cause surprise and pained consternation to the diner. That luckless individual gazed m wonderment, first at the "meat and then at the waiter. No^ a ghost of a smile illumined that functionary's countenance and he was turn ing away to serve another customer when the pained diner, with tears of anguish m his eyes and a chqkinn: sensation --m his throat, gasped out "Waiter! W think I'll have something else, please. I'm afraid this beef isn'b j-just the thing!" "Very good, sir," replied the waiter, with an air of injured innocence. "Mutton, sir? Yessir !" Then the beautiful beef was whisked away again, and soon the troubled traveller w.as- cpswingu underdone sheep. Before 1 fie ■ '•■' had v been 'long -iri^'tois' delectablfc ; pursuit" the breeze wafted m his direction what seemed like an old : familiar Turning, he discovered an J other passenger with beef— more beef. But not for 'f one:. That second deluded one rose-^ftp on his pins, and denounced that. beef, and that waiter, and the whole blithering catering con- r . cern m round terms. After that "beef" was solemnly obliterated from the menu. . But that such -a ghastly attempt to • . ■ . ' FOIST ROTTEN MEAT on to the travelling public should have been made shows how little, supervision is exercised c-ve-r the caterers on the railway lines throughout the 1 colony- The price charged (2s per meal) is sufficient, m all conscience, to* ensure at least that only good wholesome food shall be served .up. Yet this paper has time after time called attention to the ruthless methods, of these railway caterers, who, having onoe obtained the, contract, can apparently treat the public just anyhow that pleases them, safe m the assurance that a sleep? Railway ..De? portm'ent won't trouble its head about what they do. That filthy attempt to foist the stinking, decomposing meat on -to customers m the Christ-church-Dimedih. express train on Tue.sdVv of last week illustrates the state' of things exactly, and the Hon. . ,W. Hall-Jones should make it his business to caution the caterer concerned m "such a manner as will cause him to pay better attention to his pat- j rons and. not subject them to the risk of ptomaine poisoning.