TOURISTS MISLED?

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 38, 7 May 1927, Page 10

TOURISTS MISLED?

THE SOUTH NEGLECTED “A DIRTY TRICK” AUCKLAND BLAMED (Special to THE SUN.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. A number of men interested in the tourist traffic commented at the request of a SUN man on the statement of the Hon. G. J. Anderson that certain persons had misled tourists in Auckland by misrepresenting the South Island. Considerable resentment was shown, one man characterising it as a dirty trick. The acting-manager of the Tourist Department said the Department’s officers could not be implicated in the indictment. “Some persons have been working against the Department, or something,” he declared. Mr. W. Hayward, of the Rink Taxis, thought the Straits held discouragement for tourists. Only 25 per cent, visited the South Island, owing to the limitation of their time. “There is not the least doubt,” said Mr. Hayward, “that the overseas agencies have it that the North Island is the main factor in the New Zealand tour, and that it is scarcely worth while to go South. The only way to counteract this, I think, is to have more publicity for the South, and also to arrange for some direct boats for this island.” Mr. H. J. Knight, of the White Star Tourist Service, who directs the affairs of both the North and South Islands, said that so far as his company was concerned he could not believe that any members of the staff were guilty of acting in the manner indicated by the Minister.