KING CARNIVAL’S TRAIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 25

KING CARNIVAL’S TRAIN.

THE VISITING THOUSANDS. They came in thousands! From 6 a.m. on Saturday till 2.30 a.m. yesterday the Dunedin Railway Station was the scene of hurrying thousands, eager and excited, despite the dismal outlook that greeted them on their arrival in the Exhibition City. Harassed officials moved up and down the platforms and m and out of offices, doing their best to answer innumerable questions, and at the same time endeavour to preserve that orderly haste which requires but little neglect to make it a panic. Dunedin was awake early, and as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes it was a disappointed municipality that gazed at the weeping skies, and wondered what penance Nature was exacting on this, Dunedin’s day of days. One felt very sorry for the 1300 visitors who alighted from those two trains from Christchurch which, after a trying allnight run. steamed into Dunedin t - about 6 a.m. It must have dampened the spirits of the most irrepressible to be landed at such a time under such conditions. But lae attitude to it all seemed tr be "Why worry?” The Canterbury contingent disappeared. absorbed in the city's already seething multitudes. Then came the others. Two trains arrived from Oamaru with 930 passengers each, almost on top of the former of these, there came a load of South Canterbury enthusiasts —300 in ..ll—from Tim* aru. While these excursionists were still struggling along the platforms to the extsi. a -train from Matnura disgorged a human freight of 1100. which, added to the already bustling mass, produced a condition of things akin to pandemonium. Police and railway officials, however, had things well in hand, and t!' crowds, like mobs of docile, tractable sheep, allowed themselves to be herded off the station to where the city, with all its facilities for transport, had loug since It was unfortunate that lust as these crowds were arriving the power should suddenly fail for half an hour or so Trams were held up in all parts of the City until the elusive "juice” once more touched the wires to life and the stream of traffic moved onwards again. The Mata ura visitors were followed closely by IMJO more Soutlilnnders. conveyed in two trains from Invercargill, which arrived within 10 minutes of each other *n the vicinity of mid-day. With a shout of satisfaction and eyes alight with an anticipation that falling rain could nor daunt, the visitors rushed for bus, tram taxi, or anything on wheels, and were whirled' down the broad highway, where a long and seemingly inextricable tangle of traffic was occupying the attention of diligent and careful traffic inspectors. The last train to arrive with excursionists was a long, unwieldy-looking array of 20 cars, in which were 1200 densely-packed passengers, all quite cheerful and ready for anything. With sighs of relief the station Rtaff watched the last of the Balclutha con tingent slip hurriedly through the main archway, making n total of 77(10. T T nti! those crowds had had their fill work would be quite normal. There were only a few regular express trains to deal with. What a crowd and in what spirits! But while porter, guard, and railway cleri rushed hither and thither, guiding women and chiding men, what of the etiy—the city, which had to hold and entertain thi* multitude until the lights f Logan Park were dimmed for ever? llnin and slnsb made matters infinitely worse. No one would walk while there were four wheels to carry them, aud every bus, trum, taxicub, private car, and lorry available was rushed all morning, and then again in the late afternoon. Even when carnival reigned most supreme under the shadow of the great dome, the town was full, and all day long the streams of vehicles coursed up and down the roods to Logan Park. No rest all day for those who held the wheel, and scats only for those who could fight and push and struggle. The crowds had come. Their journey was ended for a few hours—a few hours which one and all devoted to a mad hunt* for pleasure, incident, and excitement The hours were fuller than any many have experienced, or yet will experience. Aud then what of the night? The perfect day ended. The crowds returned whence they came—the railway station. But what different crowds 1 (Inexpressibly

tired and wearly, l>ut very happy they trudged on to the platforms and waited their turn ns orderly Dunedin crowds always do. Snatches of song, banter, and badinage, pure exuberance of spirits perhaps, and perhaps the effervescing of John Barleycorn, helped to cheer weary crowds and make a railway station after midnight in pouring rain a more cheerful sight than many imagined it could be. The larger anticipation of the morning had given way to the tired but happy state of tho reveller who recks little of tne morrow. His day of carnival ended, he would sleep and rest, forgetting the carking cares of ordinary things. Dunedin has certainly never known such a Sunday morning. The good-natured crowds waited in patience until after perhaps a couple of hours the Invercargill train, last of a long line, disappeared in the gloom. They had come and gone—776C merry-makers. The great rlav closed for the excursionist with a long journey, and for the railway staff with a sigh of relief that the past few weeks are While hundreds rushed trains and were whisked away, thousands more sought their urban homes, and till an early hour on Sunday morning the streets were filled with vehicles Then all was still. The last of tire revellers disappeared, the lonely policeman paced his beat, and the old clock chimed his hour over a deserted qity. King Carnival had fled to new hunting grounds, and Dunedin had settled down to life in the ordinary once more.