AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1931, Page 3

AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY

AT ENGLISH RESORTS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. August. 4. Fine Avcather prevailed yesterday over a great part of England, and very large Atlgust Bank Holiday crowds thronged the beaches. The seaside places and the riverside resorts proved popular, and the heaths, downs and public parks around London were in the possession of picnic parties. The load traffic during the day Avas exceptionally heavy, but there was a remarkable ab'sencc of serious accidents. This was due, it is believed, to si. desire being slioavh by the drivers ol motor ears and coaches to observe the social and moral obligations suggested in the Ministry of Transport’s highAvnv code. The railway traffic yesterday was also heavy, n large number of special trains being run to Sussex and Kent resorts from London, Avhile Southend, Avliere, it is stated, 6000 persons slept on the beaches on Sunday night, experienced its usual invasion. No foAver than 110 holidaymakers’ trains arrived in Blackpool during the day 4 Several bathing fatalities are reported, including the drowning of three members of one family at Wittering near the Isle of Wight. Yesterday was the sixtieth anniversary of the institution of the August Bank Holiday Avhich was first, obser- ' V veil in 1871, after the passing oi the Act in that year. HOLIDAY ENDS IN STORM. RUGBY. August. 4. The end of the Rank Holiday Aveelcend coincided avi(li a. severe storm Thunder broke over London and the i South Eastern counties last night, and ; tlie croAvds avlio Avere returning late wen 1 drenched by heavy rain. j There Avere high seas in the Channel j and in the Thames Estuary, 'vhicli 1 buffeted the pleasure steamers, delaying some of them for lour or five j hours. | The crossing yesterday from France is declared to have been the worst this summer. ; The storm was followed to-day by a | I,hick fog over the sea,, in which an ; oil tanker of fjfftM> tons went ashore near Dungeiiess, hut she Avas refloated this afternoon. During the fog all the shipping -slowed down.