EASTER TRAVEL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1941, Page 12

EASTER TRAVEL

FEWER BOOKINGS

LAND, SEA, AND AIR

Though Easter travel bookings are lighter this year than last, large numbers of people have made arrangements to leave the city for the short autumn vacation. Last year Easter travel was stimulated by the Centennial Exhibition, which drew visitors to Wellington from all parts 6f the Dominion, and although the inevitable difference is reflected in this year's reservations, trains, buses, boats, and planes will be busy over the weekend.

The Easter time-table issued by the Railway Department sets out nine express trains leaving Wellington for Auckland on Thursday, and the same number from Auckland to Wellington. Expresses from Wellington include an extra Limited, which will leave at 8.15 a.m. Four of the expresses to Auckland are already fully booked, with the one leaving at 8.25 p.m. almost so. Those fully booked are scheduled to leave at 3 p.m., 3.42 p.m., 7.15 p.m. (the usual Limited), and 7.40 p.m.

Railcars for Thursday, in which all the available seating accommodation has been taken, include the 5.13 p.m. for New Plymouth, the 3.30 p.m. for Woodville, and the 4.32 p.m. and 6.4 p.m. for Masterton.

Though reservations on the 10.32 p.m. train for Napier on Thursday could still be made today, the available space was so small that full cars will be assured.

STEAMER BOOKINGS

Steamer bookings are slightly fewer than normal, according to Mr. H. F. Norman, general passenger manager of the Union Steam Ship Co., Ltd. It would be unjust, he said, to compare this year's figures with those of 1940, because the Centennial Exhibition had resulted in greater numbers of people travelling. As was the rule, more people were booked to leave Wellington for the holiday than would be travelling from the south to Wellington. Because few reservations for Picton trips were made ahead at any time, Mr. Norman could give no information about whether accommodation on this run would be heavily taxed.

"Bookings this year are not so good as last," said a representative of the Anchor Company. The only vessel of the line fully booked from Wellington to Nelson over the Easter period was the Arahura. to leave on Thursday at 8.30 a.m.

TRAVEL BY AIR

Inquiries from head office of Union Airways showed that not so many people would be travelling to Wellington by air this Easter as last. Usually the number of outward passengers at holiday periods was about the same as the number inward. For Thursday and Friday, about 200 people are booked to leave Wellington by air, but this may be reduced by last-minute alterations to their plans.

Nine flights will be made from the Rongotai airport on Thursday. Every plane departing has accommodation for ten passengers, and all this has been reserved. Four trips will be made to Blenheim, three to Nelson, and one each to Auckland and Dunedin. The four trips to Blenheim include two specials, and the three to Nelson, one.

Four specials, fully booked, are to leave on Friday, two to Blenheim and one each to Nelson and Christchurch.