INFLUX OF VISITORS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 57, 4 September 1937, Page 11

INFLUX OF VISITORS

ORDERLY "INVASION"

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This -Day.

By road, rail, sea, and air (about 20,000 people have arrived in Christchurch for the Test match. Fourteen special trains, averaging at a conservative estimate 400 for each train, brought 5600 people. Add to this number those who arrived by rail yesterday when an extra express was run from the south and by today's ordinary timetable trains, making a total of 10,000. The Rangatira brought 1000 passengers today, and the Wahine 900 yesterday.

Union Airways services were booked out for today. In addition, the company brought down as an air special a big Lockheed Electra machine from Wellington. Aero Club and private machines arriving at Wigram include three from Invercargill, two from the West Coast, arid .one from Dunedin, the total passengers being 50. It is reported from Dunedin that 6000 people have travelled by road froni Dunedin, Otago Central, and Southland. A further 3000 have come from Ashburton, Timaru, and Oamaru. Roads from the north have also carried a fair volume of traffic, and the' total may not be far short of 12,000.

Christchurch streets presented an unusual appearance this morning; .weary faces and growing beards showed that some had been unsuccessful in the feverish last-minute hunt for beds. A few people were reduced to walking the streets or taking refuge on park seats, but there were others who slept in their cars. Restaurants and hotels welcomed the unaccustomed bustle. At a very early hour many of them were besieged by weary travellers with the heartfelt inquiry, "What time's breakfast?" _ It was a most orderly "invasion." 'The police report that all was quiet during the night.

. Christchurch treated its guests with consideration. Although the night was cloudy and the weather forecast bad, no rain fell until after breakfast. There was little wind, and the chill of the early morning was not more than usually trying for this time of the year.