PROMOTING NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 149, 19 November 1914, Page 8

PROMOTING NEW PLYMOUTH.

EXPANSION AND TOURIST LEAGUE A meeting of the Ne\v Plymouth Expansion and Tourist League was held last evening, there being present:— Messrs T. C. List (chairman), Messrs. A. M'Hardy, W. C. Weston, J. R. Cruickshank, J. Morcy, A. E. Sykcs, G. Tabor, S. W. Shaw, S. Teed, and Dr Leatham. On behalf of the committee, the Chairman extended a hearty welcome to Dr Leatham, who had been mainly responsible for the inauguration of the League. The Chairman gave a brief outline of the operations of the League since the doctor had been away. •' He mentioned that he would be glad to vacate his position in favour of the doctor. Dr Leatham, who was greeted with applause, expressed his pleasure at being back again in the town and the success the League had achieved. . He had always been satisfied that as a holiday centre and place of residence New Plymouth was hard to beat, and this opinion was strengthened as a result of his recent trip. What was needed was advertising—persistent, well-directed advertising. Scarborough , was one of the best known and most' popular watering placeß in England, yet that town found it necessary to advertise. In one issue of the Daily Mail, Scarborough took a full page, and the results proved it to be a very good investment. If advertising were necessary in the case of such a well known place as this, how much more necessary was it in the case of a town like New Plymouth, whose unrivalled attractions were, until the League set to work, so little known outside? People could scarcely realise what great scenic assets this district possessed. They had to go abroad to appreciate them. He fully believed that no place was so richly endowed by nature as this Besides steady, intelligent advertising—and in this connection he complimented the League upon the successful moans it had used—they wanted more boarding accommodation of the right kind, preferably on the beach. Good seaside boardinghouses would pay well and be the means of making the town. Dozens of families from all over the North Island i would come to New Plymouth to stay for a month or two were the facilities here. The beach front, he was glad to see, was being greatly hnproved by the energetic committees at work, but they must try to get more boarding accommodation, and he hoped the League would give this matter their early attention. Another tiling which they might go carefully into was the attraction of people here with a view to taking up their residence. Some progress had been made in this respect, but a great deal more remained to be done. For " residential purposes there was no place outside to compare with New Plymouth. He was struck on coming back into the town with the improvements made since he had" been away. The town was'cleaner and brighter looking, the streets looked better, whilst the new buildings 'erected showed that the town was Mfting ahead. There was also.a better arid more confident feeling amongst the people regarding the future of-the town. This was very satisfactory. He mentioned that he had seen an illustrated article regarding this district in Cook's publications, and also had received a copy of the League's illustrated booklet, which he regarded as very handsome and a publication that must achieve a great deal of good. He was sorry he could not see his way just now to take up the duties of Chairman, believing that it would be better for the present Chairman, who was evidently doing very useful work, to continue in office for at any rate this season. He would, however, be pleased to do whatever he could to assist in the work on which they were engaged, and which he believed to bo in the best interests of the town, and later perhaps he might see his way to take up the reins of Chairman.

The treasurer reported that the subscriptions had come in very well during the past few days. It was decided that individual members of the committee wait upon all subscribers in arrears.

The Department of Tourists and Health Resorts,'in' answer to the League, wrote stating that the Department had already taken action in the direction of advertising in America the advantages of the Dominion as a place of interest to tourists and health seekers.

The special committee set up for the purpose, reported on the question of getting out iand circulating posters in the North Island. They recommended dropping the scheme, on account of the big expense entailed, and to go in for a series of poster stamps, samples of which they had had drawn and submitted to the meeting, which approved of the scheme, and the work of lithographing the picture stamps (which are all the rage in England and America), is to be put in hand at once.

It was reported arrangements had had been made for the selling of printed envelopes in the town. It was reported that arrangements had been made with the proprietor of the motor bus to extend the motor service from two diys to five Jays a week The passengers will be taken three days a week to Egmont Village, where they will be picked up by a motor car from the mountain house. The proprietor of the 'bus had also agreed to take up a party of ten or more to the Mountain House and back at the rate of 10s per head. Satisfaction was expressed with these arrangements, which, it was thought, will prove very convenient to the general public. It was decided to take steps to distribute the booklets throughout the Do- j minion, in anticipation of the holiday season.