HOKITIKA EXHIBITION.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1923, Page 4

HOKITIKA EXHIBITION.

( Westport “ News.”) I It is very pleasing, indeed, to find that the local bodies, the Borough and the County Councils, both realise the value of the Exhibition to be held at Hokitika at the close of the year and have both set aside a substantial sum for the Executive Committee which has the arranging of tho exhibit in hand. It is an old and an ever true saying, that ‘ God helps those who help themselves." Uuller disliiel will find this So in regard to the exhibition. The Government is giving extensive- aid to the Westland Executive, and lias arranged very cnibracive itineraries, which include Westport, for visitors coining both from the south and the north. The basic scheme of the exhibition is to popularise the West Coast, not merely as a tourist re-sort, but as a place for the investment of Dominion and overseas capital. Wonderfully endowed as it is with mineral, timber, pastoral and other wealin, the Coast lias so far, owing to its isolation, made comparatively little headway. With the Otira tunnel now open and other means of travel improving every day, a new era lias opened out for the West Coast. In order to make the most of the opportunity, to capture the travelling public whilst the glamour of the newly-opened line is upon them, Westland has arranged to hold the exhibition at Hokitika, And we should not be too parochial to say that liecause it is not being held in our own home town, we should have nothing to do with it. As part of the West Coast, on the line of travel for a very large number of the (50,00!) or more who are expected to visit the Exhibition, Westport cannot but derive considerable benefit from such exhibition even though it is held in another town. Indeed, the greater suciess of that exhibition. the greater its drawing power, the more Westport is likely to derive from it. Besides presenting an exhibit that will attract notice, our citi-

zens must endeavour to give visitors as much information as posible concerning our district. Itineraries should lie arranged to ensure that the visitors will make the trip to Denniston over that most charming rig-zag road, out of Karamea, to see the marvellous mountain, river and sea scenery there, down to Cape Eotilwind, the Scarborough of New Zealand, out to the glorious Brighton eaves, and indeed to many of tiie other wonderful places of interest with which this district abounds. Hull information must he placed in their hands, in epitomised form, of the mineral, timber and dairying resources, so that, if they have money to invest —and many of them no doubt will have—they will be induced to invest it in enterprises for the development of our great natural wealth. It is tbc West Coast’s opportunity. We should seize it with both hands.