Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1923, Page 2

It would ho vt'r\ fitting for this locality to hold some special celebration to mark the opening of the East and West. Coast railway. Hokitika in particular, iT all the Coast towns, has been so identified with the agitation for the finishing of the work ill i|iiestion that- now that the completion is safely accomplished and all parts are pluming' themselves on the attendant success, Westland should not be out of the picture. Certainly we arc not receiving that attention in direct and express connection which had been hoped for on the promises given, hut that is perhaps ill tin l more reason why we should organise a function which will draw Ministerial and nflicial heads here so that our wants and requirements can no voiced and promptly attended to on the spot. In addition, we must not overlook our Canterbury friends who tendered such influential help to attain the object in view, it was a. happy suggestion the other evening to give the school children a free excursion through Ai thin 's Pass tunnel and afford them a peep of tiler country oil the other side of the ranges. When the local bodies meet- to confer oil the matter that suggestion should not lie lost- right of. The future value of the tunnel to Westland is beyond estimate and such an aid to future prosperity should he welcomed with much general rejoicing.

Tin; l’rogro.-.s League decided this week to draw attention to the Departmental negleiT of the tourist resorts of \Vv>tlrni-*J. Tlu* Gm'oriinuynL, it- Jippoa-rs place- all it's eggs in regard to expen-, rlitiire and development affecting touiist resort* in baskets labelled Rotorua Waitomo Caves, To Aroha, Waikaremoana, Hermitage and Milford TrackWestland is not provided for, though the General .Manager of the Tourist Department in his annual report just issued says: “T find (on investigation) that practically our heaviest- hookings (through the Tourist agencies) were lor people leaving Wellington or Christchurch and doing the Hullo!'. Otira and Eran/. Josef trips.” W ith an ad-mis-imi such as this, the district has a special claim on tho Department to push the s'-enic wares of the Coast Were it not for the advertising of j private firms and the public and semipublic bodies, combined with the generous free space given by many of the leading papers of New Zealand vhicli have become impressed with the scenic resources of Westland, the district might, remain a terra incognita. Mr Julian Grande, the much travelled, liar said this littoral may Ih> made the playground of the Dominion, and with an expressed lead of that nature the Tourist Department would he well advised to devote s]ecial attention to advertising Coast, attractions, and in practical way improving access to the many beauiy spots which at presentare in need of opening up and popularising.

In the Gaming Bill there an' dl extra single day permits proposed for the use of tlio totalisator. In all the circumstances this is not an ungenerounllowaneo. But there arc many demands from all over the Dominion for more ))crinits. The 'North Island in particular will have a predominating claim, and it will of course be impossible to satisfy nil demands. The Government proposes 111 [>crmits lor trotting and 12 for gallops. Wellington city is looking for not loss than three trotting permits. Generally in the other Island where trotting has of late years only come to the front, the larger share will be sought. Tile galloping proportion is small for the demand, particularly as Clubs which in 1910 had their permits cut down j will be making demands for favorable consideration. However, the lcgislati P has to be passed before it. can be administered, and ibo allocation in the end will doubtless be referred to the racing ami trotting authorities. Thoro are those in Parliament who are strenuously opposing the Bill and that opposition with the time of the session limited. might be fatal to the passing of the measure. But there will be great disappointment if the Bill, even with its limitations, does not pass into law as an opportunity to do some measure of justice to the peoples' popular sport.