TRAVELLING HOME

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 74, 28 March 1931, Page 11

TRAVELLING HOME

MANY THIRD-CLASS

A feature of modern travel lias been tlie increasing popularity of third-class travel, and this is exemplified in the number- of third-class passengers leaving Wellington, for England by the Eangitata this afternoon. Them are no fewer than. 295 third-class passengers on the Eangitata—a record for this class from New Zealand. Several times in the past few years liners have taken away from New Zealand between 270 and" 290 third-class passengers. The Eangitata has her capacity in other classes fully taxed, there being 130 first saloon passengers and ; 76 second saloon. Provision was originally made for accommodation for 370 third-class passengers on the Eangitata, but_ by the conversion of six-berth cabins into four-berth and for other reasons, there is never- the total number of cabins made available to the public. March and April arc the two most popular months for travelling Home. Last year the Bangitiki was a-lmost full when she sailed from New Zealand in April. The Ulimaroa loft Wellington on her last trip with 373 passengers, a record for the vessel. Although the liners from New Zealand are very well patronised, large numbers travel across to Australia, and so have the opportunity of going Homo via Suez. The cheaper classes from Australia are also said to-be very popular. -Mr. J. N. S. Wallons, Australian passenger representative for the Cunard Line, who was in New Zealand earlier in tho year, said that many people- who usually travelled first or second class were leaving Australia in tho third-class, and 81 per cent, of the accommodation was occupied during tho year. . -