The Minister in charge of the Tourist aik! Publicity Departments (the Hon P. A. do la Perrelle) stated, last week to an interviewer, that it had been decided to carry out a vigorous campaign, specially advertising the Bluff-Melbourne service and the ad-
vantage the service offers to the people or Australia to make a tour of the famous resorts of the South Island at ai .moderate cost. “In line with our famous North Island resorts,” said tbe Minister, “Hi© very best is being done. Both Islands have attractions which are famed throughout the world. The executive officers of the Department’s report that the projected tours of the south, which will embrace the Lakes region, the fiords, Mount Cook, and other places, will be fixed on an inclusive charge basis, soitliat those undertaking them will know exactly what the'cost is to be from the outsec.” The Minister’s remarks are interesting in that the South Westland glaciers are omitted from the list of projected tours, unless we are to consider them included in the “other places” so vaguely referred to above. We should have thought the glaciers were novv famous enough to be specialised, but perhaps the Tourist Department has not yet realised the unique character of the glaciers as the outstanding natural feature of New Zealand. Mr Amery may come along and extol the glacier, lingering by it as long as he may. The Craigavons may pass judgment no less eulogistic, but still the Tourist Department remains unimpressed by the verdict of these world-travellers, and so the glaciers, instead of being featured for what they are, are neglected to the category of miscellaneous resorts in the general character of “other places,” South Westland has never been in the rancy of the Tourist Department. Its charms have not endeared the officers of that Department to its peculiar attractions, and anything that is done, is done grudgingly and at some one’s behest. The Craig a von tour was mapped out without including the glaciers ancl when the extinguished visitors fell to the charms of the south, and expressed a desire to stay on and enjoy the unique scenery and location, the inexorable Department- had to hurry them, on to less notable, but more favoured places in the eyes of the Department, Now, with the Department in this mood towards the glacier country, we are wondering what degree of publicity Westland is going to receive in the new campaign. It is very omen the fashion of the Tourist Department to utilise the East Coast as the route for touts, and all too- frequently one hears the complaint that the West Coast attractions were not mentioned when trips were mapped out. This is an old eamplaipt, but it is likely to again come to the surface, unless the glaciers are lifted out of the category of “other places,” and put in the foremost position which their outstanding features justify.
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Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1930, Page 4
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484Untitled Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1930, Page 4
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