ANNIVERSARY DAY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 102, 23 January 1918, Page 6

ANNIVERSARY DAY

SPLENDID WEATHER FOR THE HOLIDAY INADEQUATE TRAIN SERVICES Yesterday's holiday, marking the 78th anniversary of the arrival of tho first batch of New Zealand Company settlors in Wellington, was made enjoyable by weather that was almost ideal. The sun shone .brightly from a clear and cloudless sky, and the heat was tempered by a iigbt southerly breeze that was no move than sufficient to move the white-winged yachts in the harbour. The city people, who have had- some disappointing holidays during recent months, took full advantage of the invitation extonded them by the clerk of the weather to get out into the open. They swarmed out of town during the morning, starting with the early trains and trams, pud by noon the streets were almost deserted.

The races at Tcentham attracted some thousands of Wellington people. The early morning trains to the Lower Rutt were crowded to the full extent allowed by tho railway regulations, and at least a thousand people were unable to get into tho trains at all. Tho motor buses and cars trading 'to tho racecourse took all the passengers they could handle at prices that tended to rise under the influence of competition among tho would-be racegoers. Private cars also were in uso in largo numbers. The inadequacy of the train services was again the subject of hot complaint. It was estimated that at least two additional trains could have been filled by the people who actually mado their appearance outside the railway station, and the public refused to believe that tho Railway Department <vas unable to provide the required accommodation.

Picnic parties went in all directions. Two special trains bound for Paekarariki carried over 2000 passengers, and nil the other trains were full. Tho trains moved thousands of people outwards to the various resorts during tho morning, and motor and horsedrawn vehicles of all descriptions took their loads of holiday-makers away from the city. The harbour ferry boats Were running on a holiday time-tablo and were crowded.

The holiday was not marred bv any break in the' -weather. The conditions remained good throughout the day, and there was a moon for the benefit of the people who postponed their return home until the cool of the evening. All the places of amusement were filled last night, and vehicles with their loads of picnickers were passing through the streets on their homeward journeys until a late hour. The motor traffic on the Hutt ror.d yesterday was exceedingly heavy. Hundreds of private motor-cars wero in use, and the taxis and motor buses wore running backwards and forwards during the whole day. The dust was often"severe, despite the fact that the wind was light. Competent authorities considered that the damage douo to the road was substantial. One gentleman told a Dominion reporter that he estimated the local authorities responsible for the maintenance of the road would have to expend in money, labour, and material to make good the day's wear considerably more than the Railway Department could claim to have saved by withholding a full train service. People who wished to be sure of getting a seat on one of the trains stopping at Trentham racecourse had to bo early at Lambton station yesterday morning. The first train was timed to leave the station at 8.30 a.m., and a queue of intending passengers had been formed before 7 a.m. The peoplo Were admitted to the station at S -n.m., and the train was full before the '.imc for its departure. When it moved out with over 'LOOO passengers there were enough people waiting at the harriers to fill the second train, due to leave at 9.45 a.m. The people were admitted to the platform for this train at 9 a.m., and before 9.30 a.m. the sale, ot tickets had to be stopped, as the train was fully loaded. More than 1000 people were left outside the station, and many others had already gone away in the hope of securing seats in one of the motor buses, since they realised that they had no chance of reaching the train.