The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 3 1927. BACK TO THE COAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 3 1927. BACK TO THE COAST.

A proposal lins been mooted for ;i monster Coast movement covering the Christmas and New Year period about eleven months lienee, on the lines of similar organisations covering the goldfields centres in Australia, namely to initiate a Back to the Coast feeling throughout the Dominion. Many thousands of folk throughout New Zealand have at some time or other been domiciled on the Coast, and once a Coaster always a Coaster. Coasters are clannish and always carry pleasant recollections of their sojourn. In particular they are glad always to hear of the progress of the Coast. Now, after many years, many of the ex-Consfers would he glad of the opportunity to turn their faces to the west and revisit the scenes of the earlier times, if some fitting occasion were organised. 'When the Hokitika Exhibition was carried through some three years ago. there was a steady influx of ex-residents who were delighted to he hack and renew old acquaintances and associations. If that opportunity were made general all along the Coast by each centre organising its own form of celebration, it is conceivable that there would be a remarkable and interesting rally. Decently at Westport where a jubilee was celebrated, the result was much the same as might he enacted by a Back to the Coast .Movement. From all parts of the Dominion, folk interested in the various centres would make it a point of foregathering for the holiday period. Each centre could fix its programme to suit local conditions. Thus in Westland, the Christmas season would be most favorable, fitting, in as it would wit h t lit- racing fixture. In the drey district, where ihe racing and trotting fixtures are at the New A ear, that period would he found the most convenient possibly, but each district, to

arrange its own programme, as it would attract its own people, (i the centres united in ' jointly advertising their schemes, wide publicity could he obtained. and that of course is the lirsi essential. Doubtless organisations in some of the principal centres would he helpful and there are no doubt many ex-Coast represent at ives who would he only too pleased to do what they could to make tile proposal fully known. For a locality such as this, it should be possible, to organise a full week's programme, resulting in a large influx of visitors, both for residents and others who would he entertained bv tire fare provided. Unity of action along the Coast would be the first essential, and the project can hardly he taken, up too soon to ensure the widest publicity. These reunions have proved very successful in many of the. country towns of Victoria in particular, and found a splendid means of reviving and certainly stimulating public interest in the material welfare of the respective districts. Westland has everything to gain from the vigorous carrying out of

such a scheme, and even were it, necessary to proceed alone, the project seems to he quite worth while in the general results which will accrue. The matter is quite worth considering, and taking in hand at Ihe earliest opport unity.