CONTROL OF TRAFFIC ON WHARVES

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2123, 15 April 1914, Page 8

CONTROL OF TRAFFIC ON WHARVES

THE HOLIDAY RUSHES

A NEW PLAN TO BE ADOPTED

Holiday rusk traffic on tho wharves is engaging the attention of the Harbour authorities, and changes arc likely. In tho past it has been tho custom for largo crowds to congregate round tho Union Company's ticket office" on the wharf, and, on occasion, thoso endeavouring to secure tickets have- been badly jostled. Tho number of country visitors is always increasing. They frequently reach town too lato to book passages, and this tends to swell tho crowds j and acceptuato tho inconvenience.

Speaking to a reporter yesterday, Mr: R. Fletchor, chairman of the Harbour Hoard, said that in consequenco of what had occurred during tho Easter holidays he had mado a suggestion, and if the board adopted it at tho next meeting, it would go a long way to make things easier for ticket buyers on tho wharf. His, proposal \ras to erect a raco by means of chains and -stanchions, this raco extending a certain distanco on each side of tho ticket office. Tho chains will be far enough apart, to allow only on© person in front of the booking clerk at a time. A queue will be formed, and i-lioii :t will I-β a case of '.'first come, fust served." It is also proposed to have o;io or two Htrbour Board officials and a constable in attendance, and it will bo tho dutv of these officers to regulato tho. traffic. Tho schemo will also jive the clerks facilities for a faster issuing of tickets. Referring to Mr. J. 'A. Lochore's complaint regarding Friday evening's episode on tho wharf, Mr.' Fletcher remarked that the Harbour Board's object in allowing the Union Company to place-, a tjeket office on tho wharf was the convenience of the public. Peoplo arriving' in Wellington by tho Man'awatu train at 7.20 p.m. h'ad not much time in which to traverse tho distanco from Thorn'don Station to the Queen's. Wharf, and if a call had tobo rnado at j the Union Company's office en route, and a crowd happened to bo waiting at tho counter the • late-oomers might lose more-time tlian they could spare. On such occasions all'is bustle and hun-y, and everybody desires to be attended to at- once. ■ There.' is, too, a certain amount of excitement when-sailing hour drays near as to missing the , boat. Such excitement-is naturally less 4 when iiitoiiding passengers are actually on tho wharf from the fact that they can then see the steamer. That has a calming effect on them. Mr. Fletcher also pointed out that if passengers from the country hired a.cab to take them from Thoriidon Station to tho Wharf tho'fare would be four or five shillings. If, however, a call had to be made at the: Union Company's offico en route, andithe cabman was kept waiting for a quarter of an hour or so, he naturally increased his charge. By proceeding directly to tho wharf, however, all that is avoided. '■

It was also pointed out that even with the new arrangements a crowd would bo likely to congregate at" the extreme end of the queue, but not in such large proportions as hitherto. Still tho pickpocket -will have just as •much chance to operato as he has had in the past. And, in fact, even in a shipping office light-fingered people had a chance- to operate when tho counters were tbronged.