MORE TOURISTS COMING

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21415, 6 March 1935, Page 10

MORE TOURISTS COMING

❖ ENGLISH VISITOR'S IMPRESSION ATTRACTIONS FOR SPORTSMEN Greatly impressed with New Zealand's possibilities as a tourist centre, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Godfrey Dalrymple-White, an English visitor to Christchurch, believes that the Dominion has seveia.' attractions which will probably entice many more tourists here. One of these is the big game fishing in northern waters. The big fish were going to be a much greater draw in the near future not only to English sportsmen but to visitors from America, Sir Godfrey said yesterday in an interview. The deer-stalking, trout fishing and big-game fishing in New Zealand were being advertised extensively in England. Sir Godfrey is an old big-game hunter and is very interested in the rapid spread of deer in the South Island. But he is also a keen admirer of the Dominion's native forests and said that it was a painful thing for any lover oi bush to see in the North Island so many miles of burnt forest. He thought that the Government, which had done well in establishing many scenic reserves in both islands, could very well extend that work and make sure that much of the fine bush in Loth islands was preserved. Sir Godfrey also advocated the declaration of additional sanctuaries for native birds. He had noticed that there were several important sanctuaries in New Zealand, but he thought that in view of the rapidly decreasing numbers of some native birds the establishment of many more would be well advised. Railway Development ' Railway and road transport in New Zealand has also interested Sir Godfrey, and after learning something of the controversies about the completion of certain lines in the Dominion, he believes that the Government should not build too many additional railway lines in the face of the competition threatened by road and air transport. It would be difficult to make new lines pay unless there was some restriction of that competition, he said. Sir Godfrey mentioned a serious state of affairs which existed with a section of the railways in Canada. He hoped that the New Zealand railway system would never have to suffer the loss, proportionately, which was experienced by the Canadian National system, which had constructed lines in direct opposition to the Canadian Pacific Railways and in a long period suffered losses to the extent of billions of dollars. This organisation had gone into direct competition with the Canadian Pacific and in some cases constructed lines out into the prairies which paralleled the Canadian Pacific lines only a few miles away. The uneconomic competition had meant heavy losses to National Railways, but they had de c prved it. Sir Godfrey served in the South Afr'can campaign, commanded a reserve battalion of the Grenadier Guards, and later served on the staff in France during the war, and aiso spent many years until 1931, as a member of the House of Commons. He is visiting New Zealand with Lady Dalrymple-White and will remain in Christchurch for some days. He told a reporter from "The that he was charmed with New Zealand and its people.