AUCKLANDERS RESORT TO MANY MEANS TO LEAVE CITY

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 December 1950, Page 6

AUCKLANDERS RESORT TO MANY MEANS TO LEAVE CITY

AUCKLAND, Yesterday (PA).—ln spite of the railway strike, Aucklanders are leaving the city in large numbers today. They are using every means of travel except train and bus. The National Airways services are packed and the roads are carrying ; crowds of holidaymakers , many ol them hitch-hiking or travelling by taxi to Hamilton to catch trains. There are also heavy traffic lines ol private motor-cars.

The reverse side of the picture is that in the city pickets are preventing merchants getting from the railway yards goods that in some instances are required for the Christmas trade.

The decision that members must not handle goods or passenger traffic diverted from rail to road is, it is understood, being extended by the Auckland Drivers’ Union to drivers employed by taxi firms. This would prevent their services being used on trips from Auckland to Hamilton to pick up stranded rail passengers, or take others there to catch trains. Most of the 370 taxis operated in the Auckland metropolitan area are driven by the owners and their licences permit them to take passengers to any place in New Zealand, but on a return journey they may not pick up passengers outside the metropolitan . area. I Many people from Auckland went by taxi to Frankton Junction last plight and caught south-bound trains. ' All special trains from Frankton I southward were very well patronised. I Freight of a gross tonnage of 12,000 [tons has been stranded at sidings and 'goods yards throughout the Auckland ! railway area affected by the strike. .Over 8000 tons of this lies in sidings between Auckland and Frankton. No I perishable goods have been left in 'railway wagons, the strike committee having co-operated in the delivery.