THE EASTER HOLIDAYS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20075, 16 April 1927, Page 15

THE EASTER HOLIDAYS.

HEAVY TRAFFIC RETURNS. A dismal wintry sky and an unpleasant wind, through which a feeble sun tried in vain to shine, ushered in the Easter season in the city yesterday. The unpromising skies and cold conditions could not altogether drown an obvious spirit of ■festival. The city was astir at an early hour, and all the morning the streets wore alive with people setting out to sj-ond the holiday out of doors. A certain solemnity characterised the day by reason of the close holiday observed throughout the city and the mingling peals of many church bells in the early part of the day. The tramway service was well patronised in the morning and in the evening, mostly by passengers using the railways, and in the afternoon by those desirous of visiting St. Clair and other seaside resorts. In addition to the corporation services, many privately-owned cars took visitors on various trips, and the roads to and from the city were well used. The holiday attractions wore many, all classes of the community being catered for, the bowling, lawn tennis, and golf tournaments claiming a big following. The Railways Department’s staff had a particularly busy time on Thursday and yesterday catering for those who used the railways. On this occasion the out-going trains were much bettor patronised than was the case last year. This is probably accounted for by the fact that in 1926 residents of the city were entertaining visitors attending the Exhibition and did not leave the city. The figures for the sale of tickets on Thursday, together with those for the corresponding day of last year, are as follow: NUMBER OF TICKETS SOLD. Ordinary tickets in 1926, 1833: 1927, 2426. Excursion tickets, 1926, 2479; 1927, 3903. The following is a summary of the number of passengers travelling by the various trains on Thursday and yesterday: TO THE NORTH. Thursday. Friday. 9.0 a.m- train .. .. 230 380 8.50 a.m. mail train 330 550 11.34 a.m. express .. 500 600 10.20 p.m. train .. 400 12.5 p.m. special .. FROM THE NORTH--10.25 a.m. train .. 285 4.19 p.m. express .. 500 41_0 5.14 p.m. relief express 200 270 8.50 p.m. mail traih 350 270 FOR THE SOUTH. 8-35 a.m. mail train 690 500 9.0 a.m. relief train 700 450 4.45 p.m. express .. 11.10 p.m. special .. 100 FROM THE SOUTH. 11.19 a.m. express .. 430 450 0.23 p.m. mail train 480 11.25 p.m. special .. 100 5.43 p.m. special .. 300 0.51 p.m. special .. 236 200 • On Thursday a train left Dunedin at 6.55 p.m. for the Gatlins and South Otago districts carrying 370 passengers, and on Friday the first train tor Central carried 400 passengers and the second 230. Services were hold in several of the churches yesterday morning, among them being a united communion service held under the auspices of the Council of Christian Churches. It was presided over by the Rev. Dr Herrington, president of the council, who conducted the communion service. The Rev. C. Maitland Ellis pave an address, and the Rev. H. E- Bcllhouse led the devotional part of the service.