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Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1930, Page 4

The move by the Westland Progress League •to attract the personal attention of‘the Hon. Minister of Tourist and Health Resorts to the charms ol 'Westland, is a step in the right direction. So much has been said in praise of the unique attractions of Westland that much *of it must surely have reached the ears of the Minister, am as a matter of fact, he should hardly require inviting to the district. Disinguishecl' Ministers of the Crown from overseas have lauded our attractions to the highest, while visiting parties here this week, have extolled the attractions and the accommodation to the highest. There is no reason therefore why' the Minister ill Charge in New Zealand should not be equally impressed,, ft pel paving been so impressed, will -lie' spare some few hundreds of thousands he has to spend in the more favoured parts of New Zealand, for Westland. It is manifest that much can be done here to improve access to various points of interest, and a definite policy affecting tourist resorts in Westland would he of great service in Helping the quicker to build up the tourist traffic to the Domiiron. Another reason for a. Ministerial visit, is the fact that the Department is hitting out in a fresh policy of tours to attract more oversea visitors, The pa‘st practice has been to run travellers np the East Coast and omit a visit to the West Coast with its varied scenery. It is desirable to capture the attention of the Department so that its officers will focus on Westland as a part not to lie omitted from tours. Of the gentleman who conducted the Americans through the Coast this week spoke enthusiastically of the tour, and the Department could not do better than pay attention to the advice of one so experienced in travel routes as Mr Wheeler. Bound up with the tourist traffic to Westland is the railway service. It is essential that the timetable and train running should bear some relation to the encouragement of tourist traffic. ■ The Progress League asks for the Monday service to be reinstated. This we understand was intended originally when the railway time-table was drawn up. The volume of traffic generally east and west is such as to justify the extra weekly service, and it is to be lioped some effect- will follow the ronvesentations being made. Another matter is a quicker “express” service between Greymouth and Hokitika, particularly wilieir connecting with the through service. The slow train journey over the last 24 miles of the trip has long been a bug-bear, and it will not bo surprising if motor transport does not supplant the railways, if the latter is not disposed lo cater more reasonably for the through service.