Picnic Traffic.
Popularity of the Rail.

The progress made in popularising the railway for pienic traffic is strikingly exemplified in the most recent figures available for the Northern District of the South Island. In the four weeks ended 4th February nearly 15,000 picnickers were carried in this way, the revenue amounting to £2,170—a record for the month.

How great has been the improvement may be judged by the fact that the revenue to date during the last two years from this source in the South Island Northern District has totalled £12,540, whilst in the two years 1925 and 1926, it amounted to only £5,406.

Evidence of this kind proves conclusively how the public will respond to propaganda (for Canterbury in particular has made special efforts to build up this traffic) and how well suited the Department is to give satisfactory service for the transport of mass parties on pleasure bent.