THE RAILWAY BUREAU

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2657, 31 December 1915, Page 6

THE RAILWAY BUREAU

SOME BIG FIGURES. '

Reference has been made from time to time as to the success of the Bailway's Department's action in establishing in the centre of the city on the line of the thickest traffic (the. 1 comer of Willis Street and Harbour Street) of a public ticket and information bureau. As illustrating the manner in which the bureau system has caught the public favour in Wellington, the revenue returns of the past fortnight are as sound a guide as could be taken. . Holiday fare tickets were issued as from December 17. From tbat date to December 30, the sum of £7045 has been talcen over the counter of the bureau. Eliminating the two Sundays from that period, it means that the average cash receipts per day (for eleven days)' have been £640. The biggest days for business; in December 23 and 24. On December : 23 the revenue amounted to £1252, and on December 24 (Christmas Eve) to £1212. These figures represent, as near as possible double the amount taken on those two days last year, which is a very substantial increase,, oven when the' increased fares decided on by the Government last session .are taken into consideration; '■ '

But apart from the mere , matter of selling tickets, the bureau, staff have been kept going_ at high pressure giving all maimer of information as to. trips and time-table _ arrangements to the public, and it is . argued that the ea6e with which such information is now obtainable without the necessity of the long trip down to the railway stations— which are situated at the extreme northern end of the city—has been a ponsiderable incentive to the public to travel. Such has been the rush during the past week. or so that it has been no extraordinary thing for tie staff to work on until 11 p.m., and even later, in order to keep the bureau books, up-to-date. People from other parts of New Zealand speak;in the highest praise of the Department's • "experiment" in . Wellington, and have expresesd personal thanks to the clear and lucid information given to them at the bureau, which majr be regarded pow as a permanent institution.