AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21406, 6 August 1931, Page 9

AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY

OBSERVANCE IN ENGLAND SEASIDE RESORTS INVADED ROAD TRAFFIC VERY HEAVY (British Official Wireless.) (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) RUGBY, August 4. (Received August 5, at 5.5 p.m.) Fine weather prevailed yesterday over a great part of England and very large August Bank Holiday crowds thronged the beaches. Seaside places and riverside resorts proved popular, and Hampstead Heath, the downs and public parks around London were in possession of picnic parties. Road traffic was exceptionally heavy, but there was a remarkable absence of serious accidents, due, it is believed, to the desire shown by drivers of motor cars and coaches to observe the social and moral obligations suggested in the Ministry of Transport’s highway code. Railway traffic was also heavy, a large number of special trains being run to Sussex and Kent resorts from London, while Southend-on-Sea, where, it is stated, 6000 people slept on the beach on Sunday night, experienced the usual invasion. No fewer than 110 trains with holiday makers arrived in Blackpool during the day. Several bathing fatalities have been reported, included in these being three members of one family who were drowned at Wittering, near the Isle of Wight. Yesterday was the sixtieth anniversary of the institution of August Bank Holiday, which was first observed in 1871, after the passing of the Act in that year. The end of the bank holiday week-end coincided with a severe thunder storm which broke over London and the southeastern counties last night, and crowds who were returning late were drenched by heavy rain. High seas in the channel and the Thames estuary buffeted pleasure’ steamers, delaying some for four or five hours, and the crossing from France was declared to be the worst this summer. The storm was followed to-day by a thick fog over the sea, in which an oil tanker of 6000 tons went ashore near D ; ungcness, but was refloated this afternoon, and all shipping was slowed down.