THE HOLIDAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 395, 2 January 1909, Page 5

THE HOLIDAY.

ATTRACTIONS AND TRAFFIC. : The first sunrise of the :new-year brought with it tlio promise of a glorious day. In consequence, crowds of Wellington residents.' with .spirits high, left town early'- to ; spend the holiday according: to; their-respective 7,inclinations,.. 1 The harbour. steamers had an unusually busy-day,,: for there were .special ittraotions on the t other sido of, the water) notably 1 the' Tennis .at- Day's pay-, l. n the city th 6 Championship Sports Meeting, of the N.Z.A.A.A., held on tho Basin- Reseirerhad .'chief, patronage.'' itho Bowling ■ Tflurnam^nt'''co'nimericHi : and ' over 1000 people';Jnado 'tho oxoiirsion. to Pictori by, the Maori. , Thero wero'not many : spectators 'at,, the cricket match, "Wednesday Juniors' v. Pahautanui, hold, on the Athlotio .Park...;.-.The,tranv traffic during>the--i»<)r£iihg. and • the earlier part. of tho afternoon Was .heavy; but it'; eased; eif ' towards' ovenlrig. Wonderland was: the chiefs centra of attraction, and there • the -sideshowswore in' full awing monling; .aftornooh and: evening.'" . On tho trams" a good, number,> left .town for picnics ' arid rae.e meetings;- Approximately, the day's; bookings;on the'Manawatu line; were i—Palmerstbn. andrfurther> : north,400; -from, "300j", Plitrimertqri, : Porirtia, and Johnsonville,: ,1800, Between % 160.0 and,.1700 passengers went .over ■ thorKimutaka's, ! about .1200 being dcstined;for;the'races;at:Tauherenikau; •; ' On' the -suburban lines the total- number of passengers 'Carried.from Wellington clurlrfa■ tho day; was : Bbn\othing"'ilike 3800: \k good/many shbotirig attended tho rifle-meeting ht ■ Trehthani.;'" 1 Tho Wairarapa: Caledonian Socidt.v's .nnntial sports, held at 'Maatorton, 'were' largely:attended,: and; further contingents; left Wellington by. train bound, for the race meetings at Waikaiiao, Tauherenikau, and Bulls. ~ ''.-r. : ' - The l railway returns- are a trifle smaller ■ than thoso; of last New, Year's Day,, and .this may jbo,accounted for by tlio 'fact: that,-the, brightness .of; .the, morning. tempted.! a 'large : mimbel i across;.the-harbour,- 'not' have made 'the .trip. had there been any Stiff-wind.- -Before darkness--camel' arfairly 'heavy northerly .had- set, in, but;theheavily-- ' ladon'ferry .boats accomplished >the"return trip in ' safety. The holiday passed ,without ; ft-.serious'' accident of, any, ;.kind: in. this district. ' - ' . t - : PICTON EXCURSION. The marine exoursion to Pioton is as popular as ever, but, when tho fast turbine steamer ■ Maori makes tho journey it. is -doubly attractive. .Yesterday "this .steainer .carried over a thousand:excursionists'oil this delightful triii. Leaving Wellington . wharf - at -7. 49 a.m.vPieton was reached after a very .smooth/passage but against a strong tido at 1.47 a.m., tha run;across thus, occupying .2 hours and 53 minutbs. On tlio, return iour- . ney tlio steamer, left at 8.'49 p.m., arriving in Wellington in the smart ; . time of 2 . hours 42 minutes. On the back trip a strong: wind' was encountered in the Straits, and ; this made matters a little unpleasant. Excursionists' how-; .6TOr,experienced--a -beautiful 'in Plcton. The regatta was an extra attraction. The Pioton Brass Band .enlivened the .proceedings. Tho weather was perfect, a and v tho . hills, '.dotted-withstrippers and residents; :.taken inconjunction with,. the smooth, bllio . water of I the>,; Sound;-make up one;of .those effectivo pictures'.which, once seen, avo riot' quickly forgotten, v 'V, . HARBOUR Tit IPS. People were still pouring on to the Ferry . Wharf when the ■ Duchess cast off her lines' and; turned'her for Day's |Bay at -10.16 a.m. yesterday: morning. 1 A pleasant, trip over, the harbour was followed* by the' welf knowii attractions "aoross the water," The wator-.ehilto ' was- in: full swing, -■ and other places ;Ov amusement were paoked with -patrons. ' - Eitra, steamers were put-on by tho Ferry Company during the day.'■ ' Tho /taking's on the Wellington; tramways for Now Year's Day woro £508 os. 4Jd. ' • i