NO HELTER SKELTER RUSH FOR SEATS TO DUNEDIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17834, 30 April 1926, Page 9

NO HELTER SKELTER RUSH FOR SEATS TO DUNEDIN.

SLACK MORNING AT RAILWAY STATION, ONLY 500 PASSENGERS TRAVEL. With the Dunedin and South Seas Exhibition closing down to-morrow, it was expected that there would be a helter-skelter rush for seats on the express and on the relief train this morning. This, however, was not the case. There was no rush and nothing out of the ordinary in the way of a crowd. In other words things are slack at the railway station, very slack campared with what has been the case during the past six months. The first express which was expected to break all records for passenger lists pulled out of the station at 5.50 a.m. with only 250 persons aboard. Instead of straining under the load of a record number of coaches it slipped easily away with the nine. The relief train at 0.10 was also expected to be a large train but it likewise proved a disappointment to the sightseers who were present in force. It took about 250 passengers.

“Only 500 people left Christchurch for Dunedin this morning,” said Mr D. Lowry, station master. “We expected a rush but it seems that those people who were in a position to afford only a short visit to the Exhibition have already been south. This probably accounts fur the slackness this morning." The midday train took only a small load south but this was anticipated. Although the morning was slack, there will probably be a rush to-night, when it- is known that only two trains will be dispatched. The first leaves Christchurch at 10.25 and is already booked to carry 600 passengers. It will be a long train of seventeen coaches. The second train will leave at 10.15. Reserves numbering 500 seats have already been booked and it is thought that, this number will be considerablyincreased. The train, as it is at present, consists of thirteen coaches, but there is a likelihood that this number will have to be increased to seventeen.

Approximately 1100 passengers will go south on the two special trains tonight, but if the demand reaches to expectations, a third may have to be dispatched also. Chi Sunday morning a special tram will leave Christchurch for Dunedin at 5.50 arriving at Dunedin at 5.13 p.m. A special will also be run from Dunedin to Christchurch. It leaves the southern city at 8.25 a m. and is scheduled to arrive here at 4.51 p.m. The grand total of passengers who have travelled by rail between Christchurch and Dunedin during the Exhibition period will not. be available tor some time to come. It. will be awaited with great interest especially as it was roughly estimated by an official this morning to be. over 1.000.000.