The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1884. FREE RAILWAY PASSES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1617, 23 February 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1884. FREE RAILWAY PASSES.

It has been customary at the beginning ot each year for the Railway Department to issue to each newspaper in the colony a free railway pass, but at tho commencement of the current year an intimation was given that till further notice last year's passes would be available. , The evident meaning of this was that'the Government either intended to withdraw free passes from newspapers before the end of the year, or to place themselves in a position to withhold thorn; The action taken by the Government indicates at least an intention to disturb the arrangements for free passes which have hitherto existed, but possibly they are waiting to sound MRU's on the subject before taking any direct step because challenging press passes might lead to an awkward inquiry as to the passes used on a larger scale by members of the Legislature,- Though we have in common with other journals a beneficial interest in the free pass .system we have on more than, one occasion condemned it. through oiir leading columns. -. Tho fr'eo pass. Byatem is- a fraud on the colony, and is parried to an. extent which is not tolerated in any other community. No wonder railway officials growl at it! Station-masters, engine-drivers, guards, and porters take some sort of a pride in making /the Railway traffic on which their livelihood dopends .as remunerative as ; possible, and it must be gall and .wormwood to them to carry in nearly every train a number of dummies who by the questionable liberality of Parliament are exempted from paying for their fares; Each legislator carries a small gold coin which is an "open sesame" to every railway carriage in the'cqlony; Many of 'thom : travel as men of business, Political lawyers, for example, charge 'their,;.-clients .travelling expenses which are not incurred, and some M.H.R.'s find it convenient to become commercial travellers during the recess on the strength of their 1 free passes. Besides, legislators and pressmen eyeryoneknowsthat it is-customary to give special 'passes when.- asked for to volunteers, menibers of fire brigades, members of friendly societies, and a host of'other individuals in general, MdMaories in "particular, who have

not the slightest claim for such a'• privilege, Quite a large percentage ot tha inhffibita'utg df New Zealand-.travel. along our-lines of railway; without any money payment. .As 7 far. 'k we can estimate it the cost of all this travelling to the colony is between twenty and thirty'thousand pounds annually, It may bo much more than this for it is impossible : to follow out all the ramifications of the freo pass system. No record is kept of the number of those who travel free, A statistic of this kind would look very ugly in print, and so ministers and members of Parliament don't call for returns. The freo pass system is becoming a serious drain on the I resources of the colony. It costs on I an average ten shillings to the head Of every family in New Zealand. We fully appreciate the ■ advantage we enjoy from a perpetuation of such a privilege, Our Press pass is no doubt worth fifty pounds a year to us, and, knowing this, wo are reluctant to cast a stone at it. Still, we feel that the colony is being bled by members of Parliament, pressmen, and others when it is not in a condition to stand the process. It is about time that the whole thing was knocked on the head; that Ministers were told that they could no longer order an unlimited number of special trains; and that all passes, both .general and special, were withdrawn. The free, pass traffic prac ; tically saps the independence of every public man in the colony, and turns him into a State pensioner.