OUR RAILWAY OFFICIALS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2646, 27 June 1889, Page 3

OUR RAILWAY OFFICIALS.

TO THE KDITOH.

Slit, —I find that I was wrong in my statement that station-masters should receive parcels fifteen minutes before the departure of tho train from any station, as the regulations state that " parcels must be booked at least thirty minutes before train time." I have, therefore, to apologise to tho acting-stationmaster at Hamilton West for stating that he exceeded his duty in refusing my parcel on Friday last fifteen minutes before train hcur. At the same time, I must say that the system under which he acts is absurd in the extreme. He had nothing at all to do between the time I asked him to book my parcel and tho hour of departure except to issue four tickets, and he had a porter to help him. It is annoying to see the way things are worked on the lino by some officials who go in for red tapeism, and the absurdity of people at country stations having to be in thirty minutes before time to send a small parcel must be apparent to any man with common-sense. At a largo station or terminus it may be all right, but at our out-stations where the station-masters have very great difficulty in " putting away time," the thing is absurd. I am glad to say that our permanent officials are as a rule reasonable business men and do their best to oblige the public, even if one of them come a little beyond regulation time with a parcel. _ Also they are as a rule civil, but civility is with some jacks in office a minus quantity. Had Mr SVilliams been civil to me and explained that I was behind time, instead of being as he was curt and uncivil, he would have saved me the trouble and annoyance of writing two letters. He should remember the old adage that " civility costs nothing," and he should also remember that it is his duty as a public servant to assist the general public instead of throwing obstacles in their way and causing them annoyance by strictly adhering to rules which wore never meant to be carried out except in cases of necessity,—l am, Sir, yours &c. T. G. Saxdes. Hamilton, June 2fith, 1880.