HOLIDAY TRAFFIC

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 December 1934, Page 7

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC

HEAVIEST FOR YEARS RAILWAYS AND ROADS [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, December 21. . Something like a record exodus o£ holidaymakers from Wellington is expected this Christmas. Before this week-end is over, it is expected that close on ten thousand people will be on their various ways. The increase in train travel is so noticeable that the Railway Department expect the best passenger returns for almost ten years. Last Christmas, the passenger traffic from Wellington railway stations was nearly 32,000, but the total for the similar period this year is expected to be at least 50,000, and possibly a great deal more. There were three trains for Auckland today. Two more will leave to-morrow, while on Monday there will be five. Railway traffic within the province promises to be by far the best for many years. The Tourist Department reports that a feature of their bookings is 'the proportion of New Zealanders travelling. Within four days, the Wellington Office has booked 250 tours and Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo Caves and the Chateau are fully booked for the holidays, while other resorts promise to have similar popularity. Road transport services also are doing better business than for years. Ii is estimated officially that nearly 5,000 Wellington private cars will be on the roads for holiday purposes, during Christmas.

GREY-CHCH. TRAVELLERS. A total of 530 passengers left Greymouth by the two express trains for Christchurch, this morning, 180 on the special train which left at 9.10 a.m., and the remaining 350 passengers on the ordinary express at 10.18 a.m. This afternoon, over 600 passengers will arrive from Christchurch on the two expresses, 266 on the special at 3.10 p.m., and 345 on the ordinary express. One hundred and forty-one passengers also left Greymoi;th by the goods train for Christchurch, last evening.