ANGLERS' COMPLAINTS

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 10, 19 March 1952, Page 4

ANGLERS' COMPLAINTS

Fishing, as everyone appreciates, is one of the pricipal attractiops to visitors from overseas, and from other parts of New Zealand. It is also a favourite recreation of many of the permanentresidents of Taupo. A lucrative tourist traffic has been built up over the years. The fame of Taupo as a fishing resort has spread far and wide. But fame is not enough. Visitors who have come here for a fishing holiday and enhance the prosperity of various business interests during their stay, reasonably expect that the facilities provided for their recreation will be something better than primitive. In last week's issue of the Times there was published some criticism by a correspondent of the approaches to the Tongariro river on the lake side of the main highway. We went to some trouble io investigate this. In the main, the criticism was justified. For example, the by-lane leading toward the Poplar Pool and Full Reach is in such a condition of ruts and potholes that motorists can only traverse it at the risk of broken springs. Access to the river itself is not easy. As the result of the unusually humid conditions prevaiiing last spring and weli into the summer months there has been an abnormal growth of blackberry and other vegetation blocking the pathways aiong the riverbank. There is obvous need for more systematic work being done to improve the access to the river. The Tongariro River, moreover, is only one aspect of a pretty big problem. Part of the difficulty in getting action appears to be the fact that too many departments of the Public Service are involved. There is the Internal Affairs Department which seems to have an over-riding control. There is the Tourist Department, which has an active interest in seeing that visitors are satisfied and get their money's worth. There is the Ministry of Works, which sees to the roads in the area under review. The Marine Department takes a hand on the research side of Taupo's pisciculture. One suffers, too, that the D.S.I.R. (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research) is also interested. It is a well-known fact that what is everybody's business is nobody's business. From this truism has sprung the game of "passing the buck," which seems to flourish best in the climate of politics and bureaucracy. One suggestion heard was that resident

interests should take a more active part in helping to keep the fishing approaches clear, in a spirit of practical co-opera-ticfn with the official authorities. This balance of co-operative effort has been to the credit of local effort, leaving a disproportionate debit on the departmental side. We understand that the present Minister for Internal Affairs (Mr Bodkin), has been understanding and sympathetic in his contacts with the representatives of the angling interests in the Taupo Country. The present fishing season is drawing to its end. There does not appear to be much prospect of getting anythinq done until after May. In preparation for the next season, however, concerted action should be taken by the various anglers' associations to have a radical improvement effected in the existing unsatisfactory condition of the approaches to the fishing waters.