The Daily News TUESDAY, MAY 19. MAKING USE OF OUR ATTRACTIONS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 126, 19 May 1908, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, MAY 19. MAKING USE OF OUR ATTRACTIONS

We arc in entire accord with the view* of his Worship the Mayor on tils' ques--1 ion of taking steps to attract the holi-day-making and rest-seeking section* ol I lie provincial community to -New t'lymoutli. llis idea of a carnival week, we take it, is not that the town sliuuhl indulge in any ambitions or costly scheme of eniertaiiiiiieiit, lint thai, so far as possible. existing institutions and societies should lie induced to so arrange their functions that, especially during the holiday season, visitors to the town

should always have ,onie amusement provided for them. Such n scheme should lie easy of attainment, and without interfering unduly with the established gatherings of the provincial town-. It is a noted fact that during the Christinas and New Vear holidays particularly, tin' only amusements provided arc the Milliliter meeting of the .|,;ekey ('lull and the tennis tonrnanicnl. X,it withstanding our backwardness in

this respect, hundreds ol countryfolk and many from further afield visit New Plymouth at that season of the year, attracted principally by the climate and the restful surroundings of the town. While, therefore, we would be opposed to launching into an claliorate carnival week, we see 110 reason why arrangements could not lie made that would serve to make the holiday season pass enjovably for visitors and townspeople alike. In addition to arranging for, sav, »wimniing sports, and a gulden party at the Recreation Grounds. ~ rcalta might he held at , .. XT...., VniD-'j I>.l V

the ' hurbor on New Year's Day. when practically the only counterattraction would be the sports at 11avvere.. No liner advertisement could be ,riven the harbor at its present stage than the ocular demonstration the holding 0/ a successful regatta would give to our country friends of the great area of sheltered water given by the growing breakwater, ami the consequent sale haven for shipping. Then, again, special trips to the mountain, and to the .Mokati could be arranged as part of a programme to occupy the attention ul tilt holiday-seeking public. We ai e not advocates of these functions lieing run

for money-making purposes by a committee, but merely that a committee ol ton unpeople might co-operate with the various institutions concerned in arranging a programme such as would make for the full enjoyment, of visit Ois and the proper remuneration of tinamusement caterers. Such a scheme, wc are convinced, could easily be carried out without expense to its proiuoteis, and to the material gain of the town ami visitors. The subject, however.

that we should prefer to see occupying the chief attention of to-night's meet ill", is the improvement of the splendid j sea'front, particularly the beach at Moturoa aud its approaches. As we slatu<l last week, wo are convinml that that which attracts by far the greater proportion of our country friends, is the sea aud its surroundings. That bcii-g so, it is surely logical to impress on townspeople tile necessity for utilising that asset to its fullest earning power. While many of our natural attractions have been nursed to beauty and nseiulness, our sea-front, the best of all, has

been practically neglected. And yet, notwithstanding the primitivcncs.s ot the conveniences, we annually witness the incursion of country people by hundreds to spend a day oil the sands. No very great expenditure need be incurred al The offset; indeed, we are persuaded that vcrv "rcat improvements can lie carried out at very little outlay. Primarily, of course, the extension of the Esplanade to the sandv beach at the harbor iiniperativc, together with improved means of ucce.-s from the I'.reakwalcr road. An inexpensive but judicious scheme of planting would ere long make this the premier parade of the town. The laying on of water to convenient spots oil the beach, the provision o| sanitary requirements, and the question of encouraging the usual sea-beach amusements are matters that might well come under discussion by the ting. If the matter is taken up in the light spirit, New Plymouth with its soalicach would not lie long ill establishing its reputation as the popular watering place of the West Coast, if not of the island.