Over 23,000 People Visit Auckland

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 546, 26 December 1928, Page 1

Over 23,000 People Visit Auckland

RECORDS BROKEN ONE WEEK’S TRAFFIC The population of a good, thriving town was addsd to between December 17 and Christmas Eve. The railways alone have brought 23,350 people to the city and accommodation is now at a premium. Large numbers are still expected to arrive within the next few days, but the bulk of the traffic has now been dealt with. During the same period 16,500 Aucklanders have left for holiday resorts and the country districts, thus keeping the balance. It is estimated that including those who travelled _ on short-distance trains about 40,000 people passed through the railv ay station during the week preceding Christmas. The holiday traffic lias beaten all previous records and the peak of the bustle was spread over Saturday, Sunday and Monday, when thousands oi travellers passed through the station. The travellers have been well served in spite of the inadequate provision at the station for large crowds, and there have been few delays considering the difficulties of handling rolling stock. ROAD TRAFFIC HELD UP The virtual closing of the Breakwater Road was one noticeable feature of operation in this direction. All trains must pass oyer this narrow opening from the station which was the scene of an almost endless pro-

cession of trains for some days. On many occasions motor-cars and lorries were held up in queues. This trouble will be removed when the new station is completed. The opening of the central booking ! office in Queen Street has considerably relieved business at the railway station booking office, and there was a marked decrease in the congestion usually found at the station booking windows. However, 11.000 tickets w'ere issued at the station between December 17 and 24. and a total of 1,600 telegrams for seat reservations, necessitating the allotment of about 3,500 seats, was received at the station during the week. In addition 3.890 seats were reserved at the station. The bulk of the traffic has been on Main Trunk trains. During the week ending on Christmas Eve a total of 12,480 passengers arrived by these expresses. The total arrivals by expresses from various parts of the North Island during the same period was about 23.350. Departures by all expresses totalled about 16,360, and of these 7,640 travelled by Main Trunk trains. FOUR EXPRESSES A DAY During the week 29 expresses arrived from Wellington, averaging four a day. Expresses for "Wellington numbered 25. One express arrived with 1,000 passengers, several others carrying between 500 and 800. Expresses from Rotorua brought a total of 2,700 people during the week, and 2,370 arrived from the North and 1,570 from Tauranga and the Thames. Departures for Rotorua totalled 3,160, for East Coast stations 2,430, and for the North, 3,130. Yesterday was a brisk day for railway officials owing to the arrival of the Ulimaroa, and the limited staff on duty was kept busy attending to the requests for reserved seats and tickets for the Main Trunk. A special time-table was run and the trains were well patronised. To-day the Waihi, Tauranga and Rotorua expresses are heavily booked and the 7.40 pm. express for Wellington to-night will have a total of at least 18 carriages, practically all seats J being reserved.