RECORD TRAFFIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23616, 28 March 1940, Page 10

RECORD TRAFFIC

EASTER AT WELLINGTON TRAVELLERS BY RAILWAY [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] . WELLINGTON, Wednesday Traffic even heavier than that at Christinas was experienced at the Wellington railway - station during the Kastcr holidays and the influx of visitors over so short a period was the' greatest on record. Many trains from other centres were fully booked days in advance and oiv the Thursday before the holidays 11 expresses left Auckland with visitors for Wellington. Returns disclose that during the five days from 'last Thursday to Easter Monday the number of passengers arriving at and departing from Wellington totalled 46.700, of whom -2.100 were arrivals. Many extra trains were required to cope with the demand for seats and all available passenger roll-, ing stock pressed into service. The busiest day for inward traffic was Thursday, but outward trains were also filled to capacity. A total of 11.700 passengers passed through tins station that day, 7200 being inward. 'Hie figures quoted do not include suburban arrivals and departures, which were also exceptionally heavy, principally because of the large numbers of people coming into Wellington for the late shopping night on Thursday and the Centennial Exhibition. - Passenger traffic on Good Friday was also very heavy for a close holiday and the number of people passing through the station that day was 9700. most. of whom were visitors arriving by special train?. Easter Monday, when many people returned to their homes in other parts of ihc North Island, was the busiest day of all at Wellington and more than 12.000 passengers passed through th p station. Outward trains wcro heavily booked. • i