Book Seats Here!

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 526, 1 December 1928, Page 1

Book Seats Here!

NEW RAILWAY OFFICE OPENS MONDAY

Catering for the Public AT 9 o’clock on Monday morning Auckland’s new central railway booking office will open its doors to the public. No longer will booking; clerks and officials work in a stuffy congested atmosphere; the new office is spacious, airy and complete with every comfort and convenience for the public.

It has been the aim of the department to make the new booking office a pleasant place of business, and every success has followed its efforts. Attractive pictures will decorate the walls, there will’ be comfortable seats and tables for those who are waiting, a telephone has been installed for the use of the public, and clerks and officials will have everything to hand for the quick dispatch of business. The new office is situated in Queen Street, almost opposite the Fort Street intersection. Entrance will be gained through wide swing doors from Queen Street, and after completing their business patrons will depart by a side door into Exchange Lane. A new departure will be made in office hours. The central booking office will be open from 9 o’clock in the morning to 8 o’clock in the evening, except on Saturdays, when the hours will be from 9 a.m. to noon. This will enable the public to book seats and sleepers and to take out holiday and season tickets after they leave their offices in the afternoon. No lunch hour will be observed in the office, thus making service continuous. Polished rimu has been used in fitting up the office, and the workmanship of the sub-contractors has been excellent. There will be separate compartments for booking reserved seats, sleeping berths, season tickets, etc. These are on the right hand side of the office. The manager, Mr. W. T.

Hornibrooke, will have a separate office. The latest devices for the quick handling of tickets have been installed. In the ordinary booking compartment there are 1,400 small containers, each container holding the tickets for a certain destination. Appropriate advertising displays will be made from time to time in the spacious windows fronting Queen Street. Mr. A. McNeil, business agent of the Wellington commercial branch, has spent! some . days . in. Auckland, superintending tho .arrangements for the furnishing and opening' of the office. He has had similar experience in Wellington and Christchurch, and took over the Dunedin office during the time of the Exhibition. Mr. Hornibrooke, who will manage ’the office, will have a permanent, stab of five to assist him, this to be increased as business warrants The Auckland Government Tourist Office will also move into the new building on Monday, thus bringing about a closer" co-operation between it and the Railway Department. Spacious offices have been arranged at one end of the. large room, and here Mr. J. W. Clarke and his ■ staff of five will carry on their -work. The new booking office is another sign that the railway department is out to get business and still more business, and if the excellent accommodation of tile office is any criterion the public should be well satisfied.