RAILWAY MARKET TICKETS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1792, 20 September 1888, Page 4

RAILWAY MARKET TICKETS.

MrW. C. Walker, M.H.R., has received the following communication from the Railway Department, dated Wellington, September 10th:— Sir, —With reference to the petition of 18th August, addressed to yourself and Messrs Buxton and Steward, respecting railway tickets, I have the honor to imform you that market tickets are issued from various stations to certain towns on fixed dates and by particular trains. They are available for all persons bona fide visiting such towns on these dates, but they are not available for persons not intending to stop their journey at such towns, who take such tickets for the purpose of evading the payment of the ordinary fares to other stations where no sales or markets are held.

I am informed that the issue of special tickets such as these, at fixed dates, for visiting certain localities, is very common in other parts of the world, where they are used by many millions of travellers annually, under similar restrictions, on private companies' lines.

We have experienced no practical difficulty of any moment hitherto in connection with the practice. It seems, however, that it is necessary to give greater publicity to the conditions under which such tickets are issued, which will be duly attended to. (Signed). G-. F. Kicha.bdson, Pro Minister for Public Works.