TOURISTS’ RESORTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1926, Page 4

TOURISTS’ RESORTS.

HANSARD REPORT.

Speaking in the House on the annual report of the Tourist a.ml Health Resorts Department Mr Seddon (Westland) said : I rise to ask the Minister in charge of the Department rvhen his colil and cal I infs demeanour towards the West Coast is going to cease, and when the scenic attractions of that district will receive justice. Huge streams of tourists come to this country every year but, th ;> great flow of ti osstreams is direct : l to Rotorua. Mo.tut Cock and the Cold Lakes, and misses the v.cst coast of the South Island. T would seriously ask the honourable

gentleman to sec Unit the scenic attractions of Westland, and the facili- ' ties for Retting to thorn, are properly ' advertised, in order that it may get a • fair proportion of the tourists. For instance, very little notice is taken in the advertisements of the Department ■ in reference to Otira Gorge, where 1 there is a commodious hotel, from ’ which tourists can go exploring up the gorge and around the mountains. Further, wo find from the lew tourists nf'o do come to 11s that they know little of the motor service which will take them from Christchurch through the (Turn Gorge. Greymouth has a just complaint that it scorns to bo absolutely passed over. It is a centre from which one can go to most interesting places, such as J,ake Brunner, Punakaiki and Pororari Peach. There is first-class hotel accommodation at Greymouth, and excursions can be arranged to Lake Brunner, to the Arnold and Orangipnki Rivers, find also to Mitchell’s, where one can see most beautiful lake scenery. Without doubt the road from Greymouth to Punakaiki

is one of the most beautiful seashore roads in tbe Dominion. All that 1 is required is for tbe Government to complete a gap of a feu - miles of formation to give a fine tourist road from Groymoutb to Westport, and then through tbe Duller Gorge to Nelson. Tbe Franz Josef Glacier also has not received its due share of advertisement. The drive to the glacier is one of New; • Zealand’s finest, skirting hcautifnl lakes and through glorious forests. We

have at-the glacier guides who have an international reputation—the Graham brothers—who can take the mountaineer to any oArt of the Alps in perfect security. This fact alone should guarantee that a fair proportion of tourists would visit that part of the Dominion if they were aware of it. Besides the magnificent scenery at the glacier itself. there can he arranged tours to the Fox Glacier. Near the Franz Josef Glacier there are hot springs and baths, which have not been adequately advertised. T must sav on behalf of the Minister that bathhouses have been erected, but it is not generally known that the hot waters of the springs near the Franz Josef Glacier have just the same curative effects as the waters of Botorua. 1 feel sure that if this were known a much greater number of sufferers would visit the district, and enjov the benefits of the baths together with the aesthetic exhilaration of the scenic surroundings. Going farther south. T would ask the .Minister in charge of the Tourist Department, and also the Minister of Public Works, to consider the completion of the road down to Bruce Bay, and then over the Paringn Saddle on to the TTaast Pass.

\ T do not think any one who has been I in the district will deny that it is the most attractive ride in the- Dominion. We want the road to be made such that both tourists and settlers can use it. .Wo have heard from previous speakers about the depredations of deer in the forests, and it is seriously suggested—and T think rightly—that the deer should lie shot out of South Westland. as they are too - numerous, are doing injury to the forests, and are affecting settlement. It is suggested, too. that the vension should he taken to Otago, and sold there. That, however. is not possible to-day, as there is no road over which the carcases could he carried., T am sure that when they learn this fact the Otago members will wake tip and see in this another reason why access should he given to South Westland from the district, so that later on .steps may be taken to wipe out the deer, which are a menace to settlement. The Minister may think, after what I have said, that we people in Westland are asking for assistance without assisting themselves ; hut sucli, I can assure him. is not the case. We realize that the publicity branch of the Department of Internal Affairs has done something to advertise the scenic resorts of Westland, and. for ourselves, we have n progressive league which has done considerable work in advertising the attractions of the district, and has, indeed, spent all its funds in that direction. We now ask the Minister to give the West Coast scenic attractions a fair share of advertising, in order that we may have drawn towards that part of the Dominion a large number of the tourists who visit other parts of New Zealand. We have many wonders and beauty-spots in our district. In no,other part of the world is there to be found a glacier at so low an altitude as is. the Franz .Tosef. There is an

easy road,to it from Hokitika, and a splendid motor service provides the greatest comfort. Apart from that, we have scenic attractions at Pororari and Punakaiki, and we require the road completed from Creymoutli to Westport, so that tourists may make the round trip from Christchurch to tlio Franz Josef Glacier, and thence to Greymouth via Punakaiki to Westport, and thence on to Nelson and Wellington.