Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 6 March 1928, Page 2

Tin-: alleged neglect <,l the Suitli Island by the New Zealand Tourist Service lias been taken up very deterinedly hv the Canterbury Progress League, which is bombarding the Minister on various complaints, and the Department is kept busy in framing replies. It is a fact that pails of the South Island in particular are very ill-served by the Tourist Department, and the Coast is specially cll'ccte.l on that in-count. On former occasions we have quoted from the Public Works Estimates, showing how the district i> neglected in regard to opening up tourist routes, while what is being done in regard to publicity matters, is in tin- main attempted by local enterprise. Bill, after all is said under these headings, there is .still a deplorable lack of knowledge among the Tourist stall as to the West Coast amt its attractions. We have Isc fore us a 'etter written liv an intending visitor from Dunedin, to a local hotel-keeper in which the following paragraph occurs : —. “I should also be glad of any information about the run to the Franz I use pi i and Okarito, with anything else you may think of interest. 1 find the Government Tourist people here do not know much about tin- Coast. I hope I am not giving you too much t rouhe.” It was possible to send the particulars required and a party of these spent an enjoyable holiday on the Coast. In addition to this concrete case, one hears often of tourists dropping in here casually who had never been told whence hooking about the glories of South Westland. People from overseas, in particular, are in that category, and they often only tour the East Coast. If there are many officers such as appeal- to lie at Dunedin. the secret of the Coast isolation is out. it is quite high time the whole position was remedied. The Pi •ogress Leagues of the South Island are to meet in conference at Westport m a couple of months' time, and it is to be hoped the Minister in charge of the Tourist Department will be invited to lie present and learn first hand if the various cotnplaints. Following that a tour of tile Coast might lie made, and the head of the Department made more intimately acquainted with the outstanding attractions of the district. which visitors fortunate to sec. are never tired of extolling.