TOURIST TRAFFIC FOR TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 245, 14 November 1903, Page 2

TOURIST TRAFFIC FOR TARANAKI.

At the meeting last evening Mr S. Percy-Smith gave some interesting statistics of the tourist traffic jn Switzerland, quoting from an article which appeared in the New Zealand Times in October last. The annual visitors to Switzerland number 280,000, and the amount spent in l|oard and lodging ],asl» year.,was over £3,000,000, and the railway receipts from this traffic were £675,000. The number of hotels, pensions, etc., was 1896, with 104,000 beds, and the number ol people employed 22,000, This is the sort of traffic that we have to strive to attract, and with such figures in front of us and our beauti.ul seen' ery, we are nerved to go ahead. The action of the Committee in endeavouring to attract tourists has our heartiest support. We publish tho following extract from a letter forwarded for the information of th» commltteo <by the constable stationed at Mokau, giving some particulars of tho district :—" The distance for which the river is navigable from the entrance Is about 24 miles, but by obtaining the services of men and a boat twenty-four more miles of magnificent river scenery can be seen. It is to be regretted that there is no coach service through to Te Kuiti, as the tourists could be induced to first visit Mount Egmont scenery, thence by rail and road to Mokau, seeing Mount Messenger en routo and the Mokau River, and thence by the main road to To Kuiti, where there is excellent bush scenery over the Taumatamaire range, which rises about 2000 feet above the sea level. Should the tourists be fortunate in having a clear day a good view can he got of Ruapehu and other volcanic mountains on the east coast, together with a view of tho coast and Mount Egmont looking isouth-west. Other excellent scenery is also available on this route. Froin> Te Kuiti tho famous Waitoma caves can be reached, and thence by train to Hamilton Junction, where travellers can change trains for Rotorua and the hot lakes district."' On all hands we hear of the beautiful scenery of the Mokau, and the glorious panoramic view from Mount Egmont is such as would delight the eyes of the sightseer from England.