THRONGED CITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22789, 24 July 1937, Page 14

THRONGED CITY

INTEREST IN FOOTBALL VISITORS FROM ALL PARTS INFLUX BY SPECIAL TRAINS ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM The influx of visitors from all parts of the Dominion for the Hugby match between the Springboks and Auckland at Eden Park to-day provides a striking commentary on the New Zealander s enthusiasm for sport. Many have come long distances at considerable expense, some have risked the possibility of not being able to find lodgings, and hundreds are cheerfully resigned v\ stand long hours at Eden Park prior to the start of the game, whatever weather prevails.

About 4000 people spent last night travelling in special trains from 'Wellington, Taranaki and all parts of the Auckland Province. Several hundred others were passengers on the ordinary expresses from Wellington and New Plymouth and further large contingents will reach the city this morning by local trains, private cars and motorbuses. Hotels Taxed to Capacity The air service from Wellington has also been well patronised, all seats being taken in the machine which arrived from the south yesterday. Hotels and boarding houses arc taxe<l to capacity, iif spite of the fact that many establishments have provided temporary additional quarters in lounges, writing rooms and offices. Most of the travellers arriving by special trains this morning will not require lodgings for they will return to their homes to-night, but those from "Wellington and Taranaki, however, will not leave again until to-morrow. Many of these have not reserved rooms and hotel managers predict that they will have the greatest difficulty in securing accommodation. Always busy on Friday, Queen Street and Karangahape Road were doubly so yesterday afternoon and evening when hundreds of people, including many visitors, thronged the footpaths and invaded the shops. Picture theatres were exceptionally well patronised at all sessions. Minister's Experience

" It seemed to me that a large part of the population of every big and little town I visited during the week south of Auckland would be travelling to the city," said the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, yesterday when commenting upon the interest in the match. " All hands, whether employed in shops and offices or on farms, were preparing to come to Auckland to see the match."

An animated scene should bo presented at the Auckland railway station to-night when special trains will he despatched at 10-minute intervals as follows: —Taumarunui, 10.40 p.m.; Hamilton, 10.50 p.m.; Opua and Okaikau, 11.20 p.m.; Taneatua and Thames, 11.30 p.m.; Whangarei, 11.40 p.m.; liotorua, 11.50 p.m. To-morrow, the special expresses for Wellington will leave at 3.5 p.m. and 4 p.m., and that for New Plymouth at 6 p.m.

ZEAL NOT REWARDED

EARLY ARRIVALS AT PARK KEEN PARTY TURNED AWAY Enthusiasm that was prepared to make light of a night in the open, with intermittent rain and a slight fog, was displayed by a party of young men that arrived at Eden Park about ten o'clock last night and endeavoured to gain admittance for this afternoon's Rugby match between the Springboks and Auckland. Ultimately convinced that it was quite out of the question, they left, having assured themselves that only one or two officials were inside the barriers. Arriving in a taxicab the young men informed a surprised caretaker that they had hurried from the city on hearing a rumour that hundreds of people were already in the park, and that the better vantage-points were rapidly being taken; It was not until they had been convinced that nor anyone elso would be admitted until this morning that they abandoned their plan of spending the night at the park. One or two other men, having gained entrance to the park by means best known to themselves, were discovered after dark in various places in the vicinity of the main field. They left hurriedly when discovered, one at least showing a nice turn of speed in sprinting for the fence he had previously scaled. There was no sign of queues beginning to form at a late hour. Special traffic signs, indicating parking restrictions and special routes for buses and taxis, were in position-before dark yesterday in many of the streets near Eden Park.