CITY FULL OF PEOPLE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 151, 23 December 1926, Page 12

CITY FULL OF PEOPLE

MANY PASSING THROUGH

HAPPY FACES AND BRIGHT

CLOTHES.

Wellington is the natural clearing house for the great holiday crowds that pass from one.lsland to the other during the year-end, and pedestrian traffic has thickened up. in the last day or two until the foot walks aro , uncomfortably filled with people, all with the happy, anticipatory look in keeping with the prospects of a, complete change, and the warm welcomes of tried friends at the journey's end.

People mako less fuss about travelling than they did, and luggage, thanks to the fashions, is not so cumbersome as it once was. Perhaps it ,is this or the more philosophic outlook that. accompanies the greater, freedom of modern social conditions, that gives the crowds their care-free look, or it may be that as a people New Zealanders arc becoming more appreciative of pleasure than their ancestors, because the strain of competitive enterprise demands a .more complete relaxation in leisure moments, but whatever the cause, happier crowds were never seen in tho city.

Full trains both to and from Wellington, and well-filled ferry boats, which are making daylight trips to cope with the huge crowd travelling, added to the busy shoppers preparing to give themselves and their guests a good time at home, constitute quite a tax. on the city's/transport services at times, parcel-laden ladies being in evidence everywhere, but so far there has been no unpleasant congestion due to the influx of visitors.

There were fewer' people about today than yesterday, the bulk of those spending Christmas away from home having already passed through. The tax on hotel accommodation varies, but all are unanimous in stating that the bookings up to the middle of January are heavy. A number of Australian visitors is noticeable at the more expensive hotels.-

_ Summer/frocks, for almost the first time this season, make a brave show, and everybody seems to have plenty of money to spend, which is, apart from the certainty of pleasant festivities, some indication that people are looking forward to a prosperous New Year.