SINCE ANCIENT DAYS OF “FLY-WAGONS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 233, 21 December 1927, Page 9

SINCE ANCIENT DAYS OF “FLY-WAGONS”

WORLD’S OLDEST TRAVEL AGENCY ESTABLISHED IN N.Z.

Three hundred years ago the firm of Pickfords transported passengers from place to place in England. To-day that same firm arranges for tourist parties to travel to every corner of the globe, supplies couriers to personally conduct them. Pickfords, Ltd., is the oldest tourist agency and carrying company in the world. Although there are records of the urn’s existence for 300 years, it was established long before that. Yesterday Mr. Shirley H. James, general passenger manager of the firm, arrived in Auckland from London to acquaint himself with conditions here, and to pave the way for the parties of tourists which Pickfords hope to send out next year. The firm, which has over 150 offices in Europe, has received so many inquiries from New Zealanders who has opened a special New Zealand dehave been visiting England, that it partment. This is in charge of Miss E. McD. Amess, of Wanganui. “New Zealanders are the mosttravelled people in the world,” said Mr. James to-day, when speaking of the number of visitors from the Dominion who had made inquiries at Pickfords offices. He went on to say that next year the firm hopes to start a considerable tourist traffic from England to New Zealand. Mr. James also hopes to send numbers of American tourists down this way. He will return to England via Hawaii and the United States and Canada, where the firm has agencies. “The tourist question is increasing all over the world,” he continued. “Tourists at the present day have a wonderfully good time in Germany, particularly English-speaking tourists.” One of the most recent innovations of the firm is the publication of a booklet giving the movements of passenger steamers In all parts of the world. It was devised by Miss E. Armstrong, a representative of Pickfords who came out to New Zealand two years ago. Referring to the age of Pickfords, Mr. James said that a notice which hangs in the company’s museum m London states that “Fly-wagons well guarded with blunderbuss, will leave ‘Ye Olde Swan Yard’ for Nottingham and Manchester. There will be good accommodation for gentlemen and their servants.” Although the “fly-wagons’* have long since given way to more comfortable vehicles, the firm still exists and arranges for people to circle the world ‘by the quickest, safest and best methods.