§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that in cases where a season-ticket holder 1255W has accidentally not brought his ticket with him he is required by the officials representing the railway company to pay his fare for the journey, and that in no circumstances will the company return him the money so paid; whether this is tantamount to requiring a season-ticket holder to pay twice over for the same journey; will he say under what legislative enactment, if any, a railway company is empowered to retain money which on the face of the facts does not belong to them; and will he take such steps as may be necessary to put an end to this anomalous method of procedure?
§ Mr. NEALThe railway companies are under no statutory obligation to issue season-tickets, and when they do so they are entitled to make such conditions as they consider to be reasonable. One of the conditions under which a season-ticket is issued is that it must be produced on demand and that failing production the holder thereof shall be deemed not to have paid the fare for that particular journey, and that no refund of such fare will be made. This condition is necessary in order to prevent fraud which was very common, and is, I consider, an entirely correct and justifiable practice.