Committee To Organise Public Relations Office

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 195, 21 October 1955, Page 5

Committee To Organise Public Relations Office

A piiblie meeting convened by Mr V. iVl. Simpson and helcl in Ihe War Meniorial Mall on Tuesday eveiiing', October II, gave a cordial veception to the proposal to establish a public relations office in. Taupo. There was a represeritative attendaiice of some fortyfive citizens. A. provisional committee was set up to implement the proposal. ■ The Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, was in the cliair.. the speakers being X! r Simpson, convi ner Mr J. \\ . Birnie. chairman of the Ifauno Ivatepayers? Assbciation| Mr C. S, Currie, Boroiigh Councillor: Mr W. N. Morris, chairman, Taupo Businessmeirs Association : Mr J. M. Stanley, Borbhgh Councillor; Mr C. R. Watson, public accountant ; and Mr F. G. Tebay. inanager, Hawkes Bay Motor Company.

In npening the meeting the Mayor explainec l flint its purpose was to see wlmt public support was 1 ikely to be forthcomin.tr toi* the estublishment oi i public relations otlice in Taupo, to idvertise Taupo's attractions and in teneral to encourage people to come there. On risfng to open tbe proceedings, it the Mayor's invitation, Mr Simpsod mentioned that Mr Tebay, of the Hawkes Bay Motor Company, who had a great I'nud of knowledge In conlection with tourism, was presenl ad, with II is Woi'ship's permission, k had jiuK'b pleasure m asking bim to come for ward and .join the loeal Irpeakers. Knthusiasm for rroposal f| Mr Simpson said tbat. be first wishy to tbank tbe Mayor and the counrillors for their reception of his approaches with regard to the idea of i public relations office. On going round the business people and representative citizens be had tound consderable enthusiasm for the projnsal. Oue or two had deplored the fact pat Taupo migbt be inundated with ■nsitors, but be did not agree with That. They were out of the manuka page now, and citizens would share 1'jj a new era of prosperity if they Eolled their weight in encouraging ■rarisin. In this connection he stress|d that tourists came from within Kew Zoaland as well as from overfleas. He knew that the speakers had jiiYen iho pnqiosal much thought and k would leave it to them to present their views. Mr Birnie said that Ihe importioce of the public relations office idea |:as that it meant they would he do■o something to lielp themselves. Kaupo's prosperity at present was due arstly to the timber industry, whose ■ornover in Taupo was about £350,000 wh? annurn. Next came ihe tourist inSnstry . a ni'Hinl.i i ig last year b> ap■roxinialely £2>>0.000. the Mit.ioin.it tMpent in accomnmdal ion ciiarges and St'ent by visitors ' while liere. Llie gfcira ma in item in Taupo's prosperI it over llie next flve or 10 years | rould be farming. j While the timber industry would I acrease as the demand for pine inI jeased, the chief need now was to I Berease the tourist industry to inI sease ihe prosperity of the town, and 1 hr that puhlicit.v was needed. Tourist Deparlment's TvegleH H Oue Ihing that. tiHd Taupo bnek Sas that publicity l'roui the Tourist d|sd Puhlicit.v Depart.ment was lackWl There were no details of Taupo ■tailable in any of the Department's "feces in New Zealand or London. Brips were planned by the Departto Botorua, Wairakei, Tokaanu, waitomo and the Chatean only. He tjought there was just as niuch in Maupo as in Tokaanu. (Baugliter), V| He had interviewed the Departffltpnls inanager and llio Ministmi, but Bithing had been done to remedy this ®isition. They were only interested B Departmentally controlled centres. M He thought the present Minister, »r Halstead, might give them more Sfepport than previous Ministers, parScularly if they did something to Klp themselves. i| if the ton rist business were inS'eased the transport side of it could i| 'r,nr)(^(] wit.li hy Ihe Tlawkes Bay

Motor Company, oue of the most eihcient of its type. The first job was to establish a public relations office, for the business people were too busy, but such central. organisation must be there to do the bulk of the publicity vvork. ( Applause) . Councillor Currie said that while they had lo "sell Taupo" to overseas tourists they must also tell New Zealanders about Taupo. Ti was amazing what they didrrt know about it, a.nd it was just as important to public ise the plaee in the country as overseas. 1 nforniation and Entertainment A public relations office must give i nforniation to visitors when they got ro Taupo, telling them what there was ro see and do and arranging entertainment, and must also educate the Tourist Department and point out its neglect of the place. The office would also liave to arrange accommodation, organise sightseeing trips, golf, bowls, launch trips and so on, and arrange finance for a big advertising campaigu for Taupo. There was a poi i tical cause for the neglect of Taupo, the negative attitude of all Governments toward it in the past. Twelve months ago Mr Halstead had spoken in Taupo of Taupo's potential for tourism, but he was the Minister now and sti.ll we had got nothing. They miglit ask whether the Minister controlled his Department or did the permanent officials? Speaking in Taranaki recently Mr Halstead had mentioned every tourist centre in New Zealand, except Taupo. Taupo had the attractions and the basis of something really good, and with more aecommodation should be the actual centre for tourists, from vffiich they would visit National Park, Wairakei and Rotorua. At present Taupo was not even a stopping place (.n Government orgariised trips. They should get national couferences held liere. All seclions >t Ihe commuuity should contrihute to the advertising costs. They must get more civic pi-ide in their own town and districts, and "sell it" to themselves first. (Applause) . "A Lot to Advertise" Mr N. Morris said that it paid to advertise and Taupo had a lot to advertise. Business people would benefit from tourist industry expansion, hui so would all seclions ot the communily. Tnupo iitMMlod inoro ]')oj')ula.j ion iinii more tourism would bring p, nnd wit.h it would come more eom- ])(»! i t ion, wider sliopping services. more employment and more comimmity spirit. He lioped the business people would give the public relations office seheme their fullest support. Councillor ytauley referred to Australian tourist attractions and said Taupo had equal attractions but not enougfi ])ul)lieity. Ile mentioned tbat an Australian visit'or's wif'e had ret eenll.v been told in Auckland not to t a ke good clothes to Taupo. (Laughter). He said that ainphibian plane services should he arranged in the fnture. Mr Watson emphasised that their need was not to rely on the Government. but to get "stuck into it" themselves. The original motive power should come from within Taupo. It would be most important to have an organisation behind a public rela-

tions office. Fishing and launching trips should be organised. In the past the launchmen had probably been Taupo's best advertisers, liaving for years corresponded with people all over the world and given the fullest details of its attractions to everyone going out on their boats. ITntertaim nient should be organised for young people visiting Taupo. The Mayor tben asked Mr Tebay ro speak, and said they welcomed him as the repi'esent ati ve of a company t bat Iiad pioneered trans])orf between ; Hawkes Bay and. Taupo in the coach and waggon days and progressed with the t.iines. More Tourists Coniing Mr Tebay said it was good to see I'aupo's prog'ress, even thougli it migbt bo liaving some "growing liains" at present, and good to liear tbe ideas expressed. Referring to the reeent Pacific Area Travel Conference lic said he there gathered the impression that this* year more tourists than bef'ore Avould be coming to New Zealand. The travel spotlight was swingiug from Europe to the Pacific. Last year New Zealand got per cent. only of American money spent in the Pacific area hy tourists. An .inci ease of only oue per cent. would make New Zealand very busy. Oue suggestion he would make was a pamphlet on Taupo, whicli must be tbe standard overseas size of nine inclies by five. Their best advertiser was the satislied tourist, and if he had the Taupo pamphlet in his hand he would remember where "the big oue got away" and talk about it. Tbe Government Tourist DepartmenPs men in Australia and U.S.A. were pretty good, and very keen, and a Taupo pamphlet, if one were got out, should go to all these chaps. The Mayor then called for views from the audience. Mrs C. R. Mratson mentioned that speakers had not emphasised the health resort value of Taupo. Mr J. Banks agreed that this point was important, mentioning that it was emphasised by the fact that some years ago some 30 doctors had properties in Taupo and later the number had risen to 50. Provisional Committee Mr M. L. Svensen said that they must work out ways and means of l ringing Taupo's publicity up to date and thought the first step was to form a committee to do so. Mr A. L. Graham agreed with the previous speakers, adding that he thought the Taupo County office should be asked to come into the proposed scheme, all the actual scenic attractions of the area being in the County. He moved the following resolution : "That this representative meeting of laupo eitiznms nppreves in I'jrinciple the setting up of a suitable body to further the interests of Taupo and refers this decision to the Mayor and Oouncillors accordingly. To implement this decision the meeting sets up a provisional committee consisting of the Mayor and live local speakers, with power to add to their number." Mr R. D. Tremaine seconded the resolution which was carried without dissent. Mr Simpson moved a vote of tlianks to Ihe Mayor for presiding, ; i n d Mr Watson llianked all wlio had :i ( t ended.