§ 18. Mr. DENNIS HERBERTasked on what principle or for what reason a refund is sometimes made to railway season-ticket holders of ordinary fares which they have had to pay through being unable to produce their season tickets; and whether the Railway Executive Committee will arrange that such refunds shall be made generally in all proper cases subject to deduction of a small fine to cover the expense?
§ Sir A. GEDDESI would refer my hon. Friend to the answers which I gave him last week on this matter. In these I thought I had made it plain that the reason for not establishing elaborate machinery to deal with such refunds was the expense involved. If as an act of courtesy some railway companies do their 8 best to meet the cases of individual passengers who for the first time or exceptionally fail to produce their season ticket, that is no reason to establish machinery to deal with the case of every individual who is too careless or too inconsiderate to do his best to diminish the difficulties with which the railway staffs have to cope in their efforts to meet the legitimate conveniences of the public.
§ Mr. HERBERTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the feeling in the country, and will he consult the advisers of the Government as to whether it is not making the Government unnecessarily unpopular and causing them to get the reputation of not trading honestly?
§ Sir A. GEDDESI do not think there is anything I can usefully add to what I said a week ago to-day, when this question was last under consideration. All that is required to avoid any trouble is for gentlemen who have season tickets to carry them.