THE HOLIDAY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2659, 3 January 1916, Page 6

THE HOLIDAY

BIG CROWDS AND BLUSTERING WEATHER. Tile New Year holidays were celebrated in Wellington by very largo crowds. The usuat throngs of pleasureseekers were supplemented by large numbers of soldiers oil leave. The weather was not altogether bad, but was not by any means first-class. Very little rain fell, but a hot northerly wind blew throughout the vacation. The "blow" increased to a gale by Saturday evening, and a gale of considerable violence. ' The various avenues of egress from the city were heavily patronised;. The suburban trains, drawing long lines of crowded carriages, were busy each day. The trams, especially those running to the seaside resorts, were taxed almost to tho utmost, and the harbour ferries, of course, did great business. Many of -the holiday-makers we're caught in the storm when they were homeward, bound on Saturday, but as the rain kept off till much later in the night their discomfort was not as great as it might have been. In the city everything passed very quietly. Among the hundreds passing along the streets from time to time were many visitors to the city, and many soldiers. Railway Traffic. The traffic at Thorndon Station on the Christmas and New Year holidays showed general increases compared with twelve months ago. The largest express during the holiday season -was the one which left for Auckland on Christmas Eve, December 24. It consisted of eighteen vehicles and carried 500 passengers. The bookings at Thorndon for the three principal holidays were as follow, tho figures in parentheses being those for the corresponding days a year ago:—December 24, 1985 (1480), December 27, 2460 (1881), January 1, approximately 1250 (1210). For tho week ended December 25, no fewer than 17,800 passengers booked at the Tliorhdon Station. This was approximately 1000 in excess of tho. bookings twelve months ago. One feature disclosed by the bookings is the growing popularity of tho night train. It may be mentioned that these figures represent actual bookings at Thorndon Station. Tho bookings at the Central offico also, point to incroases compared with a year ago. At Lambton Station decreases were generallv tho case in the holiday bookings. On last Boxing Day, 2124 passengers booked at Lambton ins compared with 2941 on Boxing Day in the preceding year, and on New Year's Dn'.v the bookings totalled 2240. as against 2292 on the first day of last year. In addition, during the Christmas holidays trains convoying GSOO men from the various camps arrived at and left Lambton Station. On New Year's Evo about 6000 soldiers arrived at Lambton Station, and five special trains left t.be same station last- night for the May Morn and Trcntham camps. -Two special trains will leave for Featherston to-night.