Taupo Tourist And Local Needs

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 33, 27 August 1952, Page 5

Taupo Tourist And Local Needs

Discussed By Businessmen's Association In opening ihe quarterly general meeting of the Taupo Businessmen's 'Association, the vice-president, Mr G. S. Anchor, who took the chair in the ahsence of the President, expressed pleasure to see so many businessmen taking an active irterest in the welfare of the town. 'Taupo has many Fiatural amenities which other towns v-ould be pleased to have at their back doors," he stated, "and dt only needs the co-operation of all branches of the eommunity to make it unrivalied in New Zealand as a holiday centre." ' " The range of subjects discussed was varied andf interesting, and some important decisions were reached. Ofspecial interest were the discussions om Tourist facilities, the Putaruru road, and the scenic asets. Huka Falls and the Aratiatia Rapids.

Tourist Facilities J Mr W. J. Stevens reported that he had attended a deputation to meet i the manager of the Hawkes Bay Motor Company regarding the provision of a bus service that would enable tourists staying in Taupo to take advantage of the special government sight-seeing trips from Wairakei. As a result there seemed to be ■ a good chanee that something rnight fbe done during the busiest period of the coming season. The executive is to work out and forward to the company a suggested schedule and it has promised to give the service all possible publicity, A^suggestion that arrangements be made for taxis to make the evening trip to Karapiti blow-hole is already under consideration by the Tourist Department. Informal discussions have also taken place between the Association and the Launohmen's Association concerning the running of reguiar advertised launch trips. They iiave several difhculties to surmount ibefore they can tprovide the type of service recommended by the executive, but it is under stood that they are definitely going to place something before the public in the coming season. Details of this are not yet available. The Putaruru Road "Taupo is losing a terrible amount of business and Rotorua is gerting it" said Mr A. M. Smith, moving that the Main Highways Board be approached concerning the state of the Putaruru road between Wairakei and Tokoroa. "Thousands of yards of metal chips have been lying there since 1946," he added, and probably the reason for its neglect lies in the fact that it is what is known as a "county-subsidised road" and that there is no county to subsidise it. This road provides the shorfest route between Auckland and Wellington, and should be declared a main highway. The Rotorua-Taupo Road, which is nothIng like so important, is being reconstructbd and sealed. The Putaruru Road should have been completed long ago." Mr -Stevens considered that the reason for the delay was the need for a new survey. "But," he said, "if something is not done now, that may still be the position in 12 years time." Other mgmbers stated pressure bad been put on from Rotorua to •ensure that the Rotorua-Taupo Road was used as the main highway. Rotorua now claimed that they were losing business from the Mangakino distiict because of the bad state of the Rotorua-Atiamuri Road for which the Rotorua people claimed a priorIty. The road referred to carried only a very few vehicles daily eu route to the new hydro stations, and to Kinleith and Tokoroa. The M tion was carried, and it was decided to forward copies to the Member of Parliament for the disrrict. Mr P. Kearins, and also to the Ohamber of Commerce at Putaruru and to the Development Association at Tokoroa. Huka Falls and Aratiatia Rapids. The importance of the preservation of these beauty spots was men tioned by Mr C. McLean, who drew attention to resolutions passed br the Auckland and Wellington Power Boards and by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. Now that the Pow m *

! er Boards appeared to be satisfied , that it was not going to be vitally I necessary to despoil the river scenery of these fine tourist attractions, it was considered that every effort should be made to preserve them. Mr E. T. iSmith suggested that the Wairakei Thermal area should be included in the resolution, since ! it is now considered that the sights at the Valley had been visibly affected since the first sinking of thermal bores in that area. Mr W. Stevens considered that, as there must be some source of power available, the choice w^ould have tc be rnade between the river and the thermal sights. In that case he was inclined to think that the river should be the first to be preserved. It was decided to write to the Member of Parliament for Waimarino Mr P. Kearns expressing the decern, and protesting against the destruction of these two beautifui tourist attractions. War Memorial Hall. In the absence of the War Memorial Hall Campaign Organiser, Mr W. J. Stevens outlined the organisers' work and that of the committee. Some members were critical of the methods used in the allocation of certain sums of money as their contribution to the fund, but discussion revealed that the list recelved by the association was purely a suggestion of the organiser, and that it came into the hands of the commit"ee only at the request of the Businessrnens asscciation's own delegate. The committee had not officially reeeived this list. It was decided to accept the association's target of £250 and to advise the organiser, Mr Swan, that the business people would raise this as soon as possible. ' Part of this £250/' as requested would provide working capital for advertising and administration expenses. Four collectors were appointed. OTHER MATTERS Pedestrian Crossings. — On the motion of Mr Casson it was decided *to ask the Town Board to place pedestrian crossings across the main street at the Post office and also at RusselPs store. Funds for Primary School's Sports. — amount of money collected for the amount om money collected for the nrimary school sports had not been used owing to their cancellation. A decision was taken to hand this balance to the manager of the Ross ohield Schools football team which left for Waipukurau last Monday. Credit Protection. — The executive has prepared a most orpr> scheme for the credit protection of the association's members when extendirig credit to the public. It was stated that the scheme was urgently needed in Taupo because of the cbanging population of the district. Consideration is also being given to the adoption of a form of credit application card, which would have to be signed be-, fore a customer could get credit in the town. The meeting accepted the scheme which seemed to those present to be the best that could be devised for local usage, and decided to ive it full support. hristmas and New Year Holiday s. — It was decided that retailers should bserve the statutory holiday on londay instead of the Thursday /hich is already a h-oliday in the

Christmas and New Year weeks. Visitors and re^idents should note that the shops will be closed on Monday, Thursday and Friday in each of these w^eks, and will be open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Most retailers will be open on Christmas Eve until 9 a.m., but they will all close at the usual hours on New Year's Eve. Resignations.^ — The resignation from the exeutive of Mrs H. M. Hurst, and Messrs S. Woodward and L. Edlin, who had been unable to attend meetings, were accepted, and Mrs Y. Morris, and Messrs -E. T. Smith and E. J. Wright were elected to fill the vacancies. Rotorua , Nurses Holiday Cottage. — A letter was received from the nurses at the Rotorua Hospital regarding their intention to build themselves a holiday cottage at one of the nearby Lakes. ' Mr C. McLean moved that a collection be taken at the meeting and that it be left open to other businessmen to contribute if they wished. "We cannot do enough to help nurses who sacrifice a great deal in lif e to help others" he stated "and none of us know when we ourselves may not need their help." As a result of the collection, a sum of £5 has been forwarded to the nurses. If any other Taupo residents would like to contribute a few shillings to this fund, ivould they please forward their contributions to the Hon. Secretary of the association, Mr C. S. Currie, c/o. Leadbett^rs, Roberts Street, or to the vice-presi-dent Mr G. S. Anchor Hawkers. — It was decided to send a strong letter to the Town Board depreeiatmg the activities of certain hawkers in this area, some of which are cperating without a licence, and to ask the Board to restrict them from operating in the business area. Some of these hawkers, it was stated, were operating on Sundays and after business hours in hhe town area, and some were definitely contravening the health regulations. Egg Prices. — Arising from discussions at the ^ast quarterly meeting, an approach had been made to the Price Tribunil, regarding an increase in the permissible retail price for eggs in Taupo. The purpose ef this request was to cornpensate retailers for the high freight and breakage costs due to the distance of T^aupo from recognised egg markets. The Tribunal had approved of an additional charge of l|d. per dozen to cover part of the freight on eggs which had beexi purchased from the egg marketing floor in Napier.