WAITOMO’S POPULARITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 116, 6 August 1927, Page 9

WAITOMO’S POPULARITY

INCREASE OF VISITORS EXTENSIONS" TO HOSTEL (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The popularity of the Waitomo Caves increases. The annual report of the Tourists and Health Resorts Department refers to the improvements there and says that the main item of interest in the department’s operations during the year has been the letting of a contract for extensions to the Waitomo Caves Hostel, which will give accommodation for a further 60 visitors.

For years there have been complaints from people who were unable to be accommodated there or had their stay curtailed. With these additions, and certain improvements under consideration, there should be no reason why Waitomo should not be even more popular and remunerative than it is now.

Revenue from this source will be a material help to the department, and will tend to reduce the losses in certain places which the State, has to maintain at considerable loss. The financial year just ended was ushered in at Waitomo Caves by record-breaking Easter crowds, and this popularity never waned. As a consequence the season has been a record one. Cash receipts from the hostel and caves for the year were £9,946 4s 4d, this amount being £1,289 16s 6d in excess of the previous year’s record returns. During the year 13,331 visitors inspected the caves, as against 10.548 for the year 1925-26, an increase of 2,783 visitors.