RECORD TRAFFIC

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20928, 6 January 1938, Page 6

RECORD TRAFFIC

RAILWAYS WERE BUSY EXODUS HAS BEGUN More people travelled by train during the Christmas and New Year holidays than has been the case for many years, with a result that bookings handled at the Timaru railway station assumed what are thought to be record proportions. There was a steady influx of visitors before and just after Christmas, Christmas Eve being the day when outward traffic reached its peak. After a slight lull in the middle of last week, people began to move about again at New Year, traffic cn Sunday and Monday of this week being particularly heavy. For the majority of people the holiday season ended on Monday, and during the last three days there has been an exodus from the town, bookings being heavier than at any other part of the holiday season. Bookings handled at Timaru since December 23 are as follows:

Some indication of the large increase in passenger traffic is afforded by the fact that a normal day's bookings at Timaru are in the vicinity of 1 0 passengers. The increase in reservations was a natural consequence of the heavy traffic, passengers making sure of seats in the crowded trains. The figures given above shown that most people reserved their seats some days before they actually made their journey.

Bookings Reserves December 23 204 52 December 24 299 82 December 25 96 30 December 26 ,. 206 41 December 27 247 87 December 28 213 176 December 29 196 160 December 30 •57 171 December 31 272 327 January 1 .. 267 250 January 2 .. 375 185 January 3 462 168 January 4 268 291