THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17661, 23 December 1920, Page 8

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

JOYOUS CROWDS IN TOWN. AIR OF HOLIDAY-MAKING. MANY ATTRACTIONS FOR ALL. ' Evidences that the Christmas period i; to be celebrated with its accustomed 1 joyousness continue to grow and to multi ply.' With the number of attractions ordinarily available strongly reinforced : this year, it cannot be doubted that the city will cany a record population foi ( the whole holiday period. The manner in ; which people have been streaming intc town by every available avenue is afforded by a glance at the hurrying streams ol people thronging the streets throughout the day. A more prosperous and conI tented-looking community it would be ! difficult to find. There appears to be nc scarcity of money, and it ie quite evident that any resolutions of economy which may have been made for the present Christinas have gone the way of most good resolutions, and have already been decisively broken. With the breaking up of the schools the aspect of holiday-making has made its Unmistakable appearance everywhere The brilliant sunshine of the past fewdays has given the holiday air even to those who are still constrained to remain at work. The certainty that the town will be full does not mean that the usual exodus of pleasure-seekers will not take place. Accommodation at all the favourite seaside and other holiday resorts has been fully booked for many weeks past, and there is nothing more certain than that .each one of those bays and beaches in which the neighbourhood of Auckland is so rich will be swarming with devotees of the outdoor life in a very few days' time. The evident determination on all sides ..to enjoy the season, the long list of attractions provided, and the evidences of good weather, all combine to give the j assurance that Auckland is to have a record Christmas for enjoyment as in other ways. The problem of finding accommodation in the city is very evidently to be difficult to the casual wayfarer who has not made provision beforehand. It is now many weeks since it became certain that booking was to be heavy. Hotels, private hotels and boaiding houses have for stime time been refusing repeated applications for accommodation for the holiday period. There appeared a possibility that the cessation of the steamer service from Australia would relieve the position a little. There were numbers of visitors from overseas to witness the Davis Cup tennis final. The shipping situation, however, has a double effect. People who had exnected to be out of New Zealand before Christmas are detained in 'the Dominion, so that the problem of finding room for would-be visitors remains as acute as ever. 1 BY BOAT AND BAILWAY. HEAVY PASSENGER TRAFFIC The iuward bookings on the railways are abnormally heavy, and the department is utilising every available engine, carriage and excursion coach, in order to cope with the traffic. The intercolonial steamer bookings for outward passengers are not as heavy as in former years, when, in order to get a berth from Auckland to Sydney, it was necessary to reserve accommodation four weeks in advance. The falling off in this direction, however, is more than compensated for by the exceptionally heavy booking in Sydney for Auckland. At the moment, the shipping " hold-up" in Australia is likely to interfere with the passenger traffic from the Commonwealth, and the ships' stewards and cooks' dispute on the Weliington-Lyttelton ferry run will probably prevent many South Island people from visiting Auckland. The Union Company's Mararoa, which trades between Auckland and Napier will bring a large number of passengers' from the South when she arrives on Saturday, and she will be a full ship so far as passengers are concerned when she returns to Napier on Tuesday. There are heavy bookings by the whole of the Northern Company's coastal passenger fleet, by residents of Auckland who are due to spend the Christmas holidays at coast resorts. The Paloona is due to leave Wellington to-day for Melbourne. Owing to the strike, this vessel is the only boat by which passengers can make the trip to Australia. Consequently there has been a, great demand for berths and the Paloona' will carry a very heavy list of passengers. HOLIDAY PBOGBAMME. VARIED OUTDOOR ATTRACTIONS. Aucklanders will be fortunate in havinga large array of attractions to occupy their attention during the next week or so. Outdoor events, in particular, will be of a varied and interesting character. Of outstanding importance this year will be the Davis Cup tennis tournament, ■which will be played in the Domain next Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. v -~ The Auckland Racing Club's summer meeting will be held at the Ellerslie racecourse on Monday and Wednesday, and on January 1 and"3. The Auckland Trot-' ting Club's meeting will take place at Alexandra Park, Epsom, on Tuesday, and on Thursday and Friday. The Plunket Shield cricket match, Hawke's Bay v. Auckland, will be played at Eden Park on Christmas Day and*on Tuesday and Wednesday. Bowling enthusiasts will be amply catered for in the annual Christmas tournament of the Auckland centre of the New Zealand Bowling Association, to commence on Boxing Day on the various city and suburban greens. It will he continued during the week. Swimming carnivals will be held on the afternoon of Christmas Day by the Mount Eden Swimming Club at the Mount Eden baths, and by the Ponsonbv Swimming Club at the Shelley Beach baths. A boxing carnival, under the auspices of the Northern Boxing Association, will be held in the Town Hall on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The Tuesday's programme includes a match between M. Rutherford and B. Jar vis for a purse of £200, and six amateur bouts, while on Thursday two contests will be fought, one between Les. Gleeson and Jack Heenay, and the other between Jack Keenan and Gus. Vena for the lightweight championship of New Zealand. . Excursions on the harbour are bound to be popular. The Northern Steamship Company advertises numerous trips to various favourite spots round the Clulf for to-morrow, Sunday, and Boxing Dsy. Special ferry trips will be run by the ieiry and shipping companies, and a number 01 picnics will be held. Among other places of interest to visit are the zoo at Onehunga, and Mr. Wragge's gardens at Birkenhead. Numerous evening amusements will offer a wide selection.