HEAVY TRAFFIC

Southland Times, Issue 22215, 6 January 1934, Page 6

HEAVY TRAFFIC

THE HOLIDAY PERIOD. MORE TRAVEL BY RAIL. Further figures with relation to rail traffic indicate how busy the department has been during the holiday period. The business handled has been a great deal more than was the case a year ago.

On Wednesday 180 passengers left for the north by the first express, while 230 people left on the 1.45 p.m. train for Dunedin. The 1.10 p.m. express brought 120 passengers to Invercargill, while the 9.5 express added a further 140.

The totals were equally as good on Thursday. The first express carried 200 passengers and the afternoon express for Dunedin 160. The mid-day express from Dunedin brought 125 passengers to Invercargill, while from the late express 140 travellers alighted. Yesterday also saw heavy traffic. There were 120 people on the Dunedin express when it left Balclutha, and there were 58 on board when it reached Invercargill. The platform presented a most animated appearance before the departure of the outward bound express at 1.45, for the long train of ten cars was very nearly packed, and there were hundreds of people present seeing their friends off. “The traffic in the transport department has been heavier than at any time, for the past three and a half years,” a clerk remarked to a Southland Times reporter. “Everything—passenger and goods traffic—is well up on last year. The excursionists to the Bluff regatta and Tuatapere sports were almost double the total for last year. It sounds amazing, but -nearly 5090 travelled to the Bluff regatta by rail for the first day, while 700 went on the second day, which turned out wet. Eight hundred travelled by train to Tuatapere on New Year’s Day. Theie was a heavy increase in passenger traffic to the Wyndham races this year, while more horses were carried by rail also.

“We are finding the greatest difficulty in coping with the demand for empty trucks for the carriage of lime, manure and wool,” he added. “The Finegand and Burnside works are just getting into action properly now. It is evident from the very heavy demand for trucks that farmers are viewing the future with more optimism and are going in for more top-dressing.” Inquiries at the Chief Post Office revealed that during the holiday period an increased traffic was shown in all departments. Activities have subsided to normal once more, however.