Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-26
State Monopo1ies %NeMZsaland

the sea The present standard narrow
gauge was the result 1t serves admira-
bly,, for the longest run is the 426 miles
between Auckland and Wellington, which
requires seventeen hours. On this run,
too, are the only sleeping cars in all the
Dominion.
NOT COMFORTABLY
SLEEPERs OF U. S.
Sleeping cars in New Zealand are not
the roomy Pullmans of America. The
cars are slightly wider than the chair
cars and are divided into compartments,
with either two or four berths and a
narrow hallway running along one side
OF the car. When it is time to make UP
the berths the passengers must either
stand in the hall or try and find a place
to sit or stand iii some other coach. The
same thing happens in the morning when
ii is time TO make up the berths. 1t was
a tight fit for the four of us who occu-
pied one of the larger compartments, es-
pecially when it 10 remembered that two
of us weigh more than two hundred
pounds each.
To assure yourself OF a seat it is neces-
sary to make reservations in either COM
partment cars or chair cars when you buy
your ticket Then you have to be in your
seat fifteen minutes before the train de-
parts if you want to hold it down. Other,
wise the conductor, or guard, takes up
the slip that shows the seat is reserved
and it belongs to the first conner. Reser-
vations are not made for seats at way
stations, except by telegraphing ahead,
and the passengers who come aboard
there usually. take their chances. The
government reserves the right to refund
your money and keep you off the train
if all the cars are illed.
In the sleeping compartments for four
there are seats for six when the berths
are up and II the train is crowded pas
sengers holding chair car tickets, but not
/ berth tickets. have a right to vacant
seats in the sleeper until bedtime, when
they must get out and hunt seats else
where.
There is no system on the New Zealand
railways for giving passengers hat checks
to show they have presented their tick
cts Instead, you are required to pro-
| duce your ticket every hour or two, and
| each time the conductor punches it, so
that, If you are going any distance, the
ticket looks like a sieve before 1t finally
| is collected. In between times an In
| spector comes around and takes a punch
| at the ticket too. Passen gers in the
chair cars on a night run have a miser-
| able time of II, for this ticket Inspection
goes on just the same during the night
and the conductors and inspectors have
i to be diplomats Of high class to avoid
ruffling the feelings of those they wake
up so often. ] found all of the train
crews with which l travelled exceedingly
polite IN everything.
MOST OF STATIONS
FRAME AFFAIRS.
| Most OF the stations In New Zealand
are frame affairs. Those at wellington
and Auckland are shabby buildings. that
at Christchurch is but little better. and
only Dunedin, the smallest of the four
! big cities, has a commodious affair Of
! brick and stone. However. no matter
how small the station & is literally deco
rated with signs, by reading which it is
| an easy matter TO find anything you
want You can't get on the wrong train
! if you watch the signs, for not only does
one of the sirns on the platforms point
out the train and tell it's destination. but
the coaches themselves are marked on
the sides bell rings on the platform
q half minute before the train pulls out
and you have ample time TO get aboard.
The great British habit of having tea
at frequent intervals lie recognized by the
/ New Zealand railways aud at frequent in
tervals the trains stop at stations long
enough for every one TO get of and have
his tea at a refreshment counter. 1t also
is permitted TO take the tea into the