STANDING IN TRAINS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3385, 14 January 1920, Page 5

STANDING IN TRAINS .

SEATS UNPROCURABLE. HAMILTON, Jan. 13, -Considerable annoyance rand irritation has for long been experienced by passengers from Auckland to Franklton by the night express owing to their inability to! procure seats, even by [ booking (which is not permitted to a station earlier than Te Awamutu). The nlla.t?ter came up for discussion by thc4Hamilto-n Chamber of Commerce last night, when —a. letter was read from Mr F. J; Cullen, who said it was impossible to obtain a first-class seat to Franlgton, owing to .the restrictions placed on reserves, which were not obtainable under‘ 100 miles, notwithstanding the fact that the. seats reserved by telegraph often remained vacan-‘t until ‘ occupied by the persons reserving them ifurther along the line. In one case ‘that came under his notice a reserved seat remained unoccupied has far a ‘ Ohakune. By dint of consider-ab"" trouble——~greasing porters’ palms, ' 1 one may secure one of the vaeazitl seats. Recently as -many as 26 seats! rcnrained vacant as. far as Frankton, while many people remained standing the whole way. He had been told by the stationmaster -that if Frankton passengers -did not become less persistent] steps would be ‘taken to prevent their using the express altogether. He had,’ in ilactf been told by one Auckland ofiicial that the Frankton passengers! were a “——— nuisance,” and would overrun theexpress, and “choke out” the long-distance passengers. Mr A. Hyde said one could always‘ get 'a seat by greasing the hand of the porter. A Mr Kirk described this as a “rotten! state of afiairs." ‘ Mr Hyde: It is a fact, nevertheless.“ Mr Willing said -’('here- were usually plenty of vacant seats on the man,” but they were labelled engaged. There were enough passengers on the 7.10 train nightly to warrant a spciarl coach V being put on. There was surely sufi‘icient influence in Hamilton to ensurel an improvement. ‘ | Mr Hyde did not ‘see why passengers for Hamilton should have to book for! Te Awmnutu ‘in order {to reservei seats. 5 Mr VV. F. Mason thought they should I not overlook the fact that a large num- ‘ ber of long-distance passengers travelled by the train, and it was not fair that they should be crowded out by» the rush of passengers for .I*'fi'ankton. It was decided to write to the De} partment suggesting that passengers be allowed to book from Auckland to Frankton, and that a special coach be! put on for Frankton passengers. -