BUSY WEEK-END.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20625, 15 August 1932, Page 3

BUSY WEEK-END.

SPORTING ATTRACTIONS IN CITY. RAILWAY EXCURSIONS. With tli roc great sporting all motions on Saturday and three separate railway excursions yesterday Christchurch was the scone of much activity during the week-end —the closing days of its annual Carnival "Week. Special trains on Saturday brought visitors from all over tlic South Island to see, according to their.tastes, the Ivanfurly Shield Kugby match between Canterbury and South Canterbury, the League Test. match between England.and Now Zea--

Ishkl, or the Canterbury Jockey Club's race meeting at Riccarton; excursions yesterday took large numbers of people to the winter sports' grounds at Arthur's Pass and Mount Herbert, to Timaru. and to an unknown destination for the Eaihvay Department's first "nvystery hike." Influx of Visitors. Bright sunshine that tempered a cold easterly wind welcomed the crowds who arrived by special trains on Saturday. From the West Coast came a great contingent of over 8.30 people, the majority of whom were interested in the League game. The excursion left Greymouth at 5.45 a.m., and arrived in Christchurch at 11.40, leaving again at 7 p.m., and reaching Greymouth at 1 o'clock yesterday morning. Special trains from various parts of the West Coast acted as "feeders" to this excursion. Abont'lOO people took advantago .of tbc excursion that left Timaru for

Chrislehurch at 7.35 a.m. on Saturday, 'the greater number being supporter.* of the South Canterbury team that was making the first challenge of the season for the Ilanfurly Shield. Another special train took these excursionists*: home again on Saturday night. Rome had attended the football, some the races, and some had managed to combine the two attractions. Winter Sports Excursions. Nearly 1200 people' left Christchurch yesterday morning on one or the other of the excursions arranged by the Railway Department. The excursion to Timaru, which left at 8.30 a.m., carried over 400 people, another 450 went to Arthur's Pass by the train, that left- at 8 o'clock, 60 winter sports enthusiasts and others went to Lyttclton at the same hour, the Department having arranged train for the benefit of those Tvho yfere anxious to. indulge in winter- -sports- at Mount' Herbert,- and

250 left for an unknown destination on the "mystery, train. " .. Excellent weather was experienced at Arthur's Pass until about 4 p.m., half an hour before the excursion was due to leave, when rain began to fall. The snow was not in very good condition for ski-ing and tobogganing, having thawed considerably in the recent fin-"' weather. The Pass, however, as usual, offered numerous and diverse attractions to the excursionists. Better ski-ing conditions were available at Mount Herbert, where the snow. although thawing gradually,.ls holding out well. There are still a number of excellent runs available. The "Mystery Train." Every carriage on the '"mystery train" bore a different ' .destination board, with large query-marks on-the windows. Tt. eventually: stopped, at ; a. private road crossing near Kowhaj -Bush: from where the '230 tranipers 'set o'uit through tue.Alount .'J'orlefsc and Brpok^-

dale stations tor Lake Rubicon, at the foot of Mount Torlesse. The landlocked lake was covered by eight inches of ice. After a walk of 13 miles the trainpcrs joined the train again at Springfield, whence they left for Christ-. church at 5.30 p.m. Beautiful -weather was experienced for the whole of the trip.