EXCESSIVE LUGGAGE.

Otaki Mail, 6 September 1922, Page 4

EXCESSIVE LUGGAGE.

I ♦ I'he a— 1 - that art' occurring in \a ; rio'is parts hi the Dominion ..i late ! n'lierc railway officials are showing I remarkable alt i mess in the duieetioii j >.<: "exces-s' 01 other goods liable mi ! carriage rates gives the general imj j-M. i-ii tlui! the Department i- nghj l■ ■: I::i vr up it- control in such mailer- ) in Miller io increase revenue and make j :he ihi! ways a better paying prupoI sinnii in ilich zeal, liowever, some ' ui tl'e oiiicials appeal !o be ging to ' extremes. A complaint apparently weli-groun.'l-i tii readier- lire Manawatu Times to the j effect thai onnliy children coining 'by tiain to a Palmerstoii school, who may be required by liheti parents to bring a loal ol bread or a pound ol bintei in their school bag.-, are being searched by railway officers and chari ix>ji,l for "excess" on the ground thai ' these things, are noi personal luggage. i In one town it is said objection was ] laken to a Bank officer, uii ins way io j open a branch otlice, taking a sniail j bag containing notes and silver withI mi; paying the rate prescribed for bul- | lion. In the Auekiaiid district a lady ; win. was returning from town with a : small saucepan she had purchased | was challenged and-called on to pay I nearij as much as the utensil cost for the privilege of taking it home with he, "Why don't tiie railways payr I says Hie Otago Daily Times). The i Duuedin staff is doing its best anyway. A local Ann decided recently to change one ot it.- horses with another ' firm truin up country, io give the city ! horse a spell. The business was duly arranged and the city horse was , trucked and the railage paid. A while : later the firm received a phone message to send down It lor railage on i tlie collar which was on the horse; h t may be added that as collars are made ■ :.: individual horses, they are usually exchanged along with horses, but uppose the oificiais should star; to object to. . . " But it seem- mexcifui :: cany the supposition no further. a too strict interpretation of the regulations in this respect will only serve to irritate users of the railways and ihe Department will soon find that thai the actual revenue collected in this way is in inverse ratio to the time. ' labour and annoyance it costs the ■ officials and the public. It might be mentioned here that a I passenger is entitled to carry 112 lbs j tree of charge on a train provided it consists of personal effects or is for i domestic use. whilst a workman maytake 112 lbs in tools of trade in addi--tion to 112 lbs of bona fide lugga?s-