BOXING DAY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19812, 27 December 1929, Page 8

BOXING DAY.

WEATHER REMAINS FINE.

MANY PEOPLE TRAVELLING

Sudden changes of weather it mi temperature, by no melius coI npui..Mo with the New Zealand Christians season of some years ago, have raised a grave doubt in the minds of Chnsi cbureh jwople. at any rate, as to li"» tu spend tho holidays. There is al wavs a large exodus from the City lor the various hol.day resort* ot the North ami South Islands, hut th>>M» who stav behind east anxious glamvs at the barometer l-etore deciding upon the best means ot e»jH;i>dtng Boxm,; Da v.

iostertlay many hundreds t**>k courn&e and visited ffie Hills, New Brighton, Sunnier, and tho bays round I•> t telton. lim those who had \ imoii* ol a plunge 111 the snrt were out-niunber. d bv the holiday-makers «lio pre lei re.j to se.ze the inFI lienofit of the lew jterKnis of sunshine. rind t<> bji.sk thenin as long as possible. The early morning gave promise ol" n sunny day" and for nn hour or two the sun shone brightly. In the alternoon, however, the sky clouded over. and 'be rest of the day was dull, hut faulv warm. The City streets were deserted, a great many people preferring to till the entertainment lioiiwn Open-air enthusiasts found the Hardens and the parks a strong attraetion, and enjoyed a l.iry day on the lawns and among the flower hedrt.

Transport In Demand. As 011 Christinas Eve and ( hr.ntniis Day, the transport services, rail, train and bus, worked at high pnwsure. There were races at Asliburton. vaneus attractions at Kaiapoi, Kairaki Ueach, Stewart's Sully, Waikuku Hench, and I.otlhfield IJem-h, und sports m«ntings in several Canterbury centres. Cricket attracted many to Ijancaster Park. and the New Bi.jihtnn gala absorbed the interest of crowds who were in a carnival mood. To round off the holiday, thonnanrts warmed into the picture honse«, theatres, and other plaees ol entertain ment at liiixht. The K&llways Busy.

All trains outwards wtire wefl tillod yesterday. On the Port line extras were introduced to co]wi with Ibe crowds, and an increase of nearly ICMH> passengers over the number thut travelled to Lyttelton last Boxing Day w;ui recorded. During the day '2(H)O entrained for Lyttelton and the Surrounding pleasure resorts, compared with BIOS in 1928. The Ashbuiton races attracted 730 j>eople from Clintdcliurch, in addition to tho.se who went by car, compared with 747 last year a very small decrease. Tho Waikuku gala was the destination for many motorists, but the train took very tew. For Karapoi and Stewart's IJuliy 106 entrained, and for tho W.E.A. Summer School at Geraldine, 17 booked passages by rail. Some of the students, however, had booked lieforehand.

Sports at Temuka drew 20 i> :1-ss,vn-gers from Christcliurch, many more being picked up on the way, and the Catholic picnic to Little River wnu attended by over 700 people. The ferry train from Lyttelton brought 800 passengers, many of whom went south by th® 8.35 a.m. train, which carried over a thousand. Tim relief train, at 9.10 a.m., carried 700 people, nnd the 12.36 express 500. The West Coast express was popular, 500 passengers entraining at Christrhurrh. Tram Services. Tranicars took very large crowds to New Brighton and Sumner, and the receipts were, by a coincidence, the same as last year's figures. 'l'he dnily sales of excursion tickets averaged over a month are an follow**: Last year £133, this year £261. If these averages are added to the actual cash sales on Christmas Eve, exactly the same amount this year and lant year is produced. The figures are as follows Cash fares, 1929 ... ... £ll7O Average of daily concession tickets ... ... £133 Total ... ... £IBO3 Cash fares, 1928 ... ... £1042 Average of daily concession tickets . . ... £261 Total .. £1303 Itain fell after 3 p.m. last Christnias Day, when the cash snloiH wore £498. This year fine weather prevailed, and resulted in the receipt of £454.