TOURISTS AND THE SOUTH

Evening Star, Issue 19805, 2 March 1928, Page 4

TOURISTS AND THE SOUTH

FURTHER EVIDENCE OF DIBCRIPIIHATIOH

[Special to the ' Stab,’]

CHR ISTCHURCH, March !

Strong support of the Canterbury Progress League’s action in objecting to the alleged discrimination against the South Island by officers of the Government Tourist Department is forthcoming from two Christchurch gentlemen who have written to the league’s organiser (Mr P. R. ClimieE One letter is from Mr Dan Reese, of Reese Bros., Christchurch, a prominent citizen in business and sport. Jt runs;— “I have read with a good deal of interest the discussioiy that has been taking place in connection with tho tourist traffic to this dominion, and the complaints made by the Progress League that the attractions of the South Island are not receiving justice from the Tourist Department. I myself know of numerous instances of people coming to New Zealand and being told on arrival in tho North Island that there was not much to he seen in the South. Only a few weeks ago I had a very glaring case of this. A Sydney friend of mine and a. party of friends who toured New Zealand told me they had been discouraged to include the South Island in their itinerary, but they finally came south and went to the Franz Josef Glacier, and were so delighted with what they saw that they propose to come back again next year and go further south to tho Southern Lakes region; but this is not an isolated case. Some time ago in Invercargill 1 met people, who had a doctor friend, who came over from a sister dominion to see New' Zealand. This man wrote the Tourist Office in tho city where lie resided asking for information about New' Zealand, and that officer actually sent him hack a, map of the North Island only. It seems to me that the South Island is in any case in an unequal position from the very fact that practically all visitors to New Zealand arrive first in the North Island; and when yon add to this the very definite influences which have been working against the South, it is little wonder that so few of tho people find their way to this island. 1 do not think tho Tourist Department is willingly carrying this out as part of its policy, but certain individuals in the department’s employ are using their influence in an unfair way. The spending power of the tourist is such a great asset to a community that I. am sure it wmuld pay the South Island to have its own representative in both Auckland and Wellington to meet people on their arrival in this dominion, and be able to place before them details of the scenic attractions in the southern portion of New Zealand.”