EXCURSION TRAINS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1966, 7 November 1889, Page 2

EXCURSION TRAINS.

TO THE EDITOR. ' Sir,—On looking up the scale of railway fares for the Eaces and Show at Christchurch at a loss to spfe on what system they had been based. For instance, 1 can book at Timaru,. first class, for 20s; Winchester, 19s; Orari or Eangitata,-1 Sal If I start from Timaru I get a ride of 15 miles Tor Is" tb /Wmcheiter. On the other, hand, if I ; start from Winchester I pay Is for four miles to Orari, and so on to Eangitata; Now why should the Winchester man pay Is for his four mile ride when the Timaru man can ride his fifteen miles for the same sum ? There is an inconsistency in this which causes much dissatisfaction. Why should the townspeople be allowed to ride cheaper than their country cousins? Surely they do not expect us to go from Orari or Winchester to book at Timaru for the sole pleasure of enjoying a long ride in their “ Flying Scotchman ” ? If s» they are mistaken, as long journeys m crowded excursion trains in hot weather are the reverse of being agreeable or pleasant. Perhaps the reason may be they are afraid of steamer competition from Timaru, and so, bleed the , country people to make iip for the loss, if any, on the train passengers. If this is the case I sub‘mit it is not fair treatment to the t* cookies,” many of whom want to sab Ihe “ Show.”., I haye not looked up She Exhibition fares' to Dunedin, but rust they,,are arranged, bn a, more _ quitable scale.-rj am, etc., ; ; <, j ■ •■■■' •> V; "U , : i BUCOLIC.

I [The doings of the commissioners in other ways .wre - questionable., For instance, ’ parcels of newspapers have hitherto been harried free of charge on the railways, but the commissioners have now. decided to charge for carrySg theml. We would not complain, of at, but they will charge as much for carrying a parcel one mile as 75 miles, tes bf * course is giving an advantage 1 jo the ! Chrisfohurch papers over local ones. Itwill ■ cost 'hhe;/proprietor of this paper as much to sqnd a parcel of papers fromTemuka to Winchester as it will cost the Lyttelton .Times to send.thp same weight of parcel to the saniA place. Thbn the parcels must be open at .both ends, and the railway officials : can open them, hut they will not be responsible for damage or delay. The fact Ts, it is .next to impossible; if not. altogether impossible, to make up such large parcels as we send away if w,e must leave the two ends open. The parcels will come undone, but the railway is not. responsible, and so there is no redress. However, tyrants cannot reign long in a Democratic country. : Let us give the commissioners rope enough, and they will hang themselves before long. -Ed.] '' "'