RESUMPTION OF TRAINS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17461, 4 May 1920, Page 6

RESUMPTION OF TRAINS.

HEAVY PASSENGER TRAFFIC.

ACCUMULATION ~OE GOODS. DESPATCHING MAILS. ■The train services on-the North, Island railways were fully resumed yesterday. Throughout \ifct day, twin's arriving and departing from Auckland we're' well filled, and station yard* and platforms up and down the ljne, so strangely silent for days past, once more presented their customary air of stir aiid activity. " "' ",,*"; :.'No express' from Wellington armed yesterday, the farthest point from which passengers were able to return on the Main Trunk being TaumaruuuL This train brought a full load of passengers. The first train dues to arrive /from Wellington will be this morning'a express, due at 6.38 a.m., which is' expected to bring a large number of passengers. About 370 people left Auckland by the Main Trunk express last evening practically all the seats b»ing taken, with the exception of those reserved for passengers joining the train at Frankton. The train comprised four first-class carriages, , sis second-class, and one composite ladies' carriage. „ ■<■-■, The outgeing Rotorua and Thames expresses were heavy trains, taking back to their homes many visitors who have been stranded in Auckland during the last week. All the trains, from the suburbs were well filled, there being hardly' a (.pare seat in the morning trains from l'anakura and other distant suburbs. The railway goods sheds were the scene of great activity throughout the day,' scores of carts and lorries bringing goods delayed during the strike. All, the city warehouses 1 have been continuing their packing as usual in readiness for the resumption of traffic, and their conveyances were early astir yesterday morning in an effort to work off the accumulation. One large/ wholesale firm was particularly forward in its endeavour to get its goods away, having everything ready on lorries on Friday, as a result of the premature rumour of a settlement having been effected. The; goods remained on. the lorries over the week-end, and were sent off at an early hour yesterday. The mail services were also fully resumed, ft large Southern mail having been despatched by the Main Trunk express on Sunday evening. The forwarding of mails yesterday'was expedited by the fact that' a great, proportion posted. war first-class matter. It is expected that the service will be back to normal to-day, the postal authorities having ;. worSed strenuously yesterday to clear off the arrears. Yesterday was one of the busiest days ever experienced by the Parcels Post Office. By nine o'clock, ft dozen lorries were backed up against the entrance with five days' accumulated packages. _ All through the day, the warehouses continued to send in their quota to the rush, of business, and the officers of the Department were kept working at top speed to deal with it all. A great quantity of mail was despatched to the Waikato and King Country, for which points therewas a very large accumulation. In addition to local business, there were 400 receptacles to dear from the Mokoia, from the South, and about 2000 parcels which arrived in the English mail by the Reamera on Saturday. ~