TRAMS BUSY

Evening Star, Issue 20058, 26 December 1928, Page 6

TRAMS BUSY

A STRENUOUS CHRISTMAS EVE POPULAR BUS TRIPS Alonday night was a strenuous lime for the" Tramway Department, all the available rolling stock being brought into commission to cope with the large crowds that came to town to celebrate Christmas Eve in time-honoured fashion. Despite the fact that thousands of suburban residents did their Christmas shopping on Friday, the trams on Alonday, especially in the afternoon and in the evening, were kept particularly busy, and Irom 9 p.m. onwards‘it was found necessary to supplement the regular services to deal with the rush, most of the services being extended till midnight. The regular bus services were also extended. The tramway manager (Mr W. H. APKenzie) reported this morning that, despite the extra heavy loading and the abnormal pedestrian and motor traffic in the streets, there was not a hitch in the service, nor were there any accidents, even of a minor nature. The total takings for Alonday of this year amounted to £594 3s Id, compared with £712 4s 5d taken on Christmas 1 Eve of last year. .Yesterday the takings totalled £230 18s sd, the amount collected on Christinas Day last year being £303 8s 6d. The department was very unfortunate in having a wet clay yesterday, this keeping indoors very many people who would have used the cars in the afternoon. The holiday rush on tiic trams, however, really commenced earlier this year, and the amount taken on Friday last, £638, which was only £74 4s 5d less than what was taken on Christmas Eve last year, will help effectually to make a very favourable comparison between the respective takings over the whole holiday periods for this year and last year. The Corporation bus services are again proving extremely popular. This morning two full buses were despatched to Waipori, these being the first to be sent there this season. Large numbers also went on the observation tour around the city and surroundings, to Whare Flat, Alount Cargill, around Otago Peninsula, Brighton, Evansdale, and the other attractive spots about the city. It is anticipated that hundreds of visitors, as well as local people, will patronise the bus services during this week.