HEAVY RAIL TRAFFIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 5, 8 January 1944, Page 6

HEAVY RAIL TRAFFIC

THOUSANDS LEAVE CITY

From December 22 to January 3 100 express trains left, Wellington for Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and the Wanganui and Taranaki districts. Nearly half of them went to Auckland, and about the same number arrived. The 100 expresses carried 25,603 people from Wellington, but a total of passengers running well into six figures was also carried by ordinary trains, such as those to Palmerston North and the Wairarapa, and hundreds of suburban trains. A total of 11,865 people went to Auckland, 6917 to Wanganui and Taranaki, and 6821 to Hawke's Bay. The Railway Department was very busy over the holiday period, but it was impossible to make a comparison with last year as travel restrictions applied. Christmas Eve was the busiest day. Besides the thousands who poured into Wellington by suburban trains, and had to be taken home afterwards, 14. expresses left with 4020 passengers, and about the same number arrived. Then, in addition to those thousands of ordinary travellers, provision had to be made during the holidays for race trains to Marton and Tauherenikau. The rush at the Wellington station has not yet ended, as many people have yet to return from their holidays. In addition, over a dozen special trains will be provided next Saturday for the Trentham races.