HOLIDAY TRAFFIC

Evening Star, Issue 22528, 22 December 1936, Page 8

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC

RAILWAYS BELOW LAST YEAR HEAVY BOOKINGS ON ROAD SERVICES " The traffic is a long way below; that of last year,” said the station master at Dunedin (Mr C. Pope) today. “In fact, the bookings are only, a little above those of ordinary, periods.” This was attributed to the epidemic* which prevented a number of people from travelling, and as a result a number of bookings had been cancelled. The tickets, however, are available for three months from the date of issue* and many parents are merely postponing their children’s holidays, and hope to use the tickets after the epidemic has died down. , . Though, there has been little increase in the traffic over the ordinary period, to-day showed a decided brightening* The train leaving at 8.45 for the north carried 150 passengers, while 400 booked by the 11.35 for the north and 100 by the 10.47 for Christchurch.The train for Christchurch leaving at' 11.20 to-night will carry 150 passengers. The 8.33 Am. train south from Dunedin carried 120, while 250 are on the express arriving at 4.18 to-day.-Another train due at 5i5 p.m. carries 320, and the late express, due at 8.54, ; has 120 passengers. There have been heavy bookings for to-morrow, Thursday, and Friday, after which the traffic is expected to ease off until near the end of the holidays* when people will be returning home. Heavy bookings are reported by the road services, and there have been few cancellations. It was expected that a large number of children would be travelling during the holidays, but this has not eventuated, chiefly on account of the epidemic. _ . A comparison with previous Christmas traffic is not obtainable, as these services had not been taken under Government control last year, but it was considered that, had such been the case, this year’s traffic would have been much heavier.