Overcrowding Underground.
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People are wondering whether we shall find a means to bring a test case into court with regard to the scandalous overcrowding which takes place in the coaches upon London's shallow and tube railways. We are Mentally exercised upon the same subject. It may be taken for granted, that any effective action is far from easy, or there would have been plenty of cases already. The companies' Acts of Parliament do not give one many loopholes, so far as we are able to ascertain at the moment, whilst any penalties under their by-laws are directed against the unfortunate passenger. The writer, of course, will in no circumstiinces take action against any member of the travelling public, for he woeld expect. such interference with any person's choice in the matter of travelling to be indignantly resented. It is the companies which must be called to account. Without going into any detail at the moment, we are able to say that possibilities do exist: the levying of first-class fares, for example, on sonic of the London rain, ays, in spite of the relatively-common use of the same carriages. at times, by holders of third-class tickets, is proving to be one interesting branch of investigation, but that does not concern the railway undertakings which offer only one class of accommodation. It appears likely, none the less, that it will be feasible to bring a test action, in a court oth,e. than one of summary jurisdiction, and our supporters can he well assured that we have no intention to let the matter drop. It is of general public interest, quite apart from our own special interest in the fact that existing and recurring conditions of travel underground are positively inequitable in relation to those which are in force with regard to surface travel.