PROGRESS OF NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1915, Page 6

PROGRESS OF NEW PLYMOUTH.

♦ „ EXPANSION AND TOURIST LEAGUE. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the New Ply-] mouth Expansion and Tourist League was held last evening. There was a good attendance, and Mr. T. C. list (chairman) presided. ■ The annual report was as follows: Three years ago the Expansion and Tourist League was formed for the purpose of making more widely known th? attractions, advantages and resources of New Plymouth. It was felt that to be effective the operations would need to extend over three years. That period has now been completed, and we, the committee who have had the direction and control of the League's affairs since its inception, desire to briefly report upon the work done, leaving it to you and other townsmen to -say if the work is to be continued or otherwise. At the outset, the League set itself the task of thoroughly advertising the scenic and other assets of the town and district. This it did by the preparation and publication of descriptive and illustrated folders', booklets, envelopes, etc.; by the issue of special poster stamps; by preparing and publishing special illustrated articles in publications read by tourists and holiday-makers; by inserting before holiday times special advertisements in the leadng newspapers of the 'Dominion; by arranging for the exhibition throughout Australia of cinematographic films depicting the district's features of interest; by having framed sets oi' photographic views hung In the leading hotels and tourist bureaux in Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua, etc.; and by adopting other forms of publicity. Yout committee also appointed a permanent secretary with a central office. The services of the secretary have largely been availed of by prospective and actual visitors, and that they have been appreciated is shown by the many letters that the League has received.

[The results of the League's campaign have, we think, heen of considerable benefit to the town. New Plymouth is now known outside; it is looked upon as one of the most desirable holiday resorts and places of residence in the Dominion }l it is every year being visited by more and more holiday-makers; it is now ineluded imthe holiday itineraries arranged by Cook's and the Government Tourist Department. The town is now a better town commercialy than ever It was. Business on the whole was never so good, nor the prospects so bright, notwithstanding the war. The town, in Bhort, has been roused, people outside are taking more notice of it, residents are showing more faith than ever in it. New Plymouth is, we firmly believe, coming at last into its own and in the bringing about of this desired transformation the League claims a share. But the League recognises that there is still a great deal to do, and that future progress and development of New Plymouth must depend upon the energy and enterprise of her citizens. In regard to the tourist and holiday traffic, which manifestly is of great benefit to the town, the League is now "up against" a difficulty that must in the interests of the town be overcome. It ic fhe lack of suitable accommodation. Last Christmas season over Iwo hundred intending visitors who applied to the. League for accomnodation had to hi turned away. At Kaster time, again, ther* was an insufficiency of a,\comtnodaUnt. It is plain, therefore, thai furthei joora must be provided, either by ifco present hotels and boarding-houses, ; or iiy the. erection of a modem seaside I hostelry.

FUTURE OF THE TOWN. The chairman proceeded:—"l would like to say that, for some months back, *ening no chance of the hotels immediately increasing their accommodation, the matter of providing the necessary accommodation has been engaging the attention of a special committee set up by the League. A suitable site for the erection of a seaside hostelry was decided upon. It is situate next Mr. Newman's and comprises half an aero. Mr. Newman was very good. He offered to let the purchase money (£Boo} stand over for a term of years, besides offering £I2OO to assist in building the hoste'lv? at a iow rate of interest. The committee had a sketch plan and estimate prepared by Mr. Messenger. The building is of stone and has accommodation for about 50 visitors. It is a handsome structure, the cost being estimated at about £7OOO. With furniture and the ground, the total would be in the neighborhood of £IO,OOO. The committee ivas of opinion that a building costing £SOOO would be sufficient for a start. To finance this it would be necessary to float a limited liability company with a capital of £IO,OOO, and with a minimum subscription of £SOOO. Kecently the committee was informed of a proposal to purchase one of the New Plymouth hotel properties and to erect in place of the present building an up-to-date seaside hotel costing not less than £IO,OOO. The committee met the proposed purchasers, but found that when all plans were got out, a hitch had occurred in regard to price, and the scheme was definitely abandoned. But so impressed with New Plymouth's future are the firm concerned that they are disposed to put into a seaside hostelry like the one we propose not less than £IOOO. Of course the League would prefer private enterprise to undertake the providing of the necessary accommodation, but failing that, it believes it is in the interests of the place that townsmen themselves should take it up. There is no doubt of the need for more room; it is becoming more and more unite every year. It is for you to say if the scheme is to materialise or not. PiTfonolly, ] think it would pay every townsman to take up shares in such a scheme. 1 don't suggest they could expect very big dividends from the investment; but the dividends would come in an indirect way. The League as a league cannot undertake the floating of a company; it can but give a lead, which it is doing tonight. The decision as to whether it should be gone on with rests with you. So also does the determining of the future of the League. You must say whether it is to live or die. I believe it would be a mistake to abandon a movement that has been productive of so much benefit to the town. We are, of course, living in times that are far from normal, and perhaps we should to some extent adapt ourselves to the new conditions. It is the opinion of members that the League should be kept going and that an annual subscription of about £2, instead of the heavier subscriptions given in the past, would produce revenue sufficient! to keep the central office, with the see- j retary going and the town's attractions | 'brfora the public It must bs borne in \ ' ' "

mind that New Plymouth is becoming widely known as a popular watering place, and in, order to reap the full benefit of the three years' work that has been put in there must be no absolute stoppage of the publicity campaign. "In TegaTd to finance, you will see by the balance-sheet that the League has during the past year met its liabilities."

SECRETARY'S REPORT. Tile secretary (Mr. W. A. Collis) reported on the League's activities as follows:—"During the time I have had charge of the office there have been hundreds of enquiries upon all sorts of questions, a good many of which did not come within the scope of the League's duties, but which I have attended to as best I could. A large number of callers and enquiries by letter were on the subject of accommodation, and I was unable to give great assistance in thia direction. In this connection, if the hotels and boarding-houses would keep me posted up regularly with the accommodation they have available it would make the arranging of accommodation a great deal easier. "In regard to the arranging of trips, this took a great deal of time, but waa greatly appreciated by the visitors, who in a great number of cases called at th« office prior to leaving the town so as to personally express their thanks and appreciation of what had been done for them, and from others I have received letters of appreciation after they had returned to their various homes. The local time-table slips issued by the League were greatly in demand and duly appreciated, and in dealing with this I would mention a matter that needs attention. I have several times spoken to the various motor proprietors about it, but so far nothing of a definite or business-like nature has been attempted. The question I allude to is the one of local round trips with a definite scale of charges. I know the need, as from my experience last year the few that I arranged were greatly appreciated. I had at times some difficulty in the matter of the mountain service, mostly through over-lapping. The office itself was often used by the visitors, and I would suggest that members with spare copies of magazines might hand them over for the use of visitoTs who have often come in and sat down for a rest and read." x -

ADOPTION OF BALANCE-SHEET. The balance-sheet showed a credit balance of £6 15s 2d, and the chairman remarked that there were some small liabilities which would absorb most of this.

In moving the adoption of this report, the chairman praised the work of Mr. Collis, and said that few people knew tow much Mr. Collis had done. The office had really become indispensable, for in the summer time there were numbers of caller.3 every day, and a great many communications had to be attended to. With Mr. Collis it was a labor of love. Dr. Leatham seconded the motion. He was sorry there was such a Bmall attendance, as the work of the League was of the utmost importance to the town. Anyone who had travelled could see what a wonderful asset New Plymouth had in its natural attractions, and it would be a pity to see the League lapse after it had done sc rcuch for the town. The provision of better .accommodation was the most important question to be decided now, for there was no accommodation for many people who came to New Plymouth. He bad no doubt that if a ». good hostel was built it would always be full. In England and on the Continent the most was made of any place that was in any way attractive; people were induced to go to places which had nothing like the attractions which New Plymouth offered. Everything possible should be done to advertise and make New Plymouth knowu, and to provide better accommodation for visitors. He I paid a tribute to the work which had been done by the secretary, Mr. Collis. Mr. Newton King said the public was i satisfied that it had got its money's worth from the League. New Plymouth had shown great progress during the last few years, and large numbers of visitors had come to the town. The presence of the great majority of these could be attributed to the energies of the League. He thought it would he a mist**™ to lower the subscription, as the chairman had suggested, for everyone would be pleased to give a higher subscription for the benefit of the town. There were undoubtedly most beautiful places about New Plymouth and district, and the gardens and other scenic attractions had J been improved year by year. New PlyI mouth was one of the most picturesque towns, not only of New Zealand, but of the world.

Mr. Stanley Shaw considered that the meeting should have been better attended, especially by the tradespeople of the town. He praised the work of the League, and went on to say that no sooner had the League begun to advertise than large numbers al people came to New (Plymouth. At holiday time it was quite common ilo rind the Mountain House full ot visitors, lumbers of people had come to the town only to find all the accommodation faken up, and had gone to the Mountain House to find the same position, and had been forced to go to Inglewood or Stratford to get accommodation'. New Plymouth at the present time, was entering en a new era of prosperity. There were signs of this on every side and the class of people which the town wanted were orly now starting to come here. If this change in the town was to be taken advantage of the League must lie kept going.

The Mayor (Mr. J. E. Wilson), hoped the League would not relax any of its efforts, especially those in the direction of providing more accommodation for visitors. The town was going to expand very much in the near future, and the townspeople would have to prepare for this expansion. There were people who came to New Plymouth, when they were deciding which was tlie best town in New Zealand to settle in. and everything should he done to attract them. They should certainly not bo turned away from New Plymouth for the want of accommodation.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. TnK,LEAGI , r. TO CONTINUE. The chairman then proposed that the League should continue its activities, the membership subscription to be the same as before. Mr. List thought it would be a great mistake to drop the League now, as at present the town was Retting the profit of the activities of the League. The League had set out to make New Plymouth known outside, and the result had been that more people came to New Plymouth than the available accommodation could provide for. It was felt that it would be a great mistake for the work of the League to lie discontinued now. Mr. E. P. Webster seconded. He said he looked on the League as one of the most important bodies in New Plymonth. Since it started the number of visitors to the town had increased by leaps and bounds. Everyone here ghottM

hecame a member of the League. People who were prone at one time to talk the \ town down'were now talking the other i way. ' The motion was carried unanimously, I MORE ACCOMMODATION WANTED. The question of securing more accommodation was then mentioned by the chairman. It was, he said, for the public to determine what should be done. It was a question whether the town Bhould suffer by this lack of accommodation, or whether the townspeople would undertake the scheme themselves. If they did this it would be necessary to provide £SOOO. Even on a modified scheme the work would cost in the neighborhood of £BOOO, so in addition to a sum of £3OOO that was practically promised the public would have to find the balance. Mr. J. K. Cruickßhank said the question of accommodation was one in which the League had reached a limit. The question was "continually up against us." The fact remained, the question had to be IJaced, and either by private enterprise or by the people of the town more accommodation would have to be provided. It was no good bringing people to the town if there was no accommodation for them. If this was the position all the good which the League had done would be destroyed. Mr. Wilson moved that the incoming committee should be requested to use its utmost endeavors to obtain further accommodation for visitors, either by impressing upon those engaged in the business the necessity of providing an extension of what accommodation there .is now available, or, if this could not be done, that endeavors should be made to promote a company with this object in view. Mr. King seconded the motion. Mr. Wilson added that he was quite confident that if a building to accommodate fifty people was erected it would be full throughout the year. The chairman said the League would' much prefer the matter to be taken up by private enterprise. It would be better if tlf> people interested in providing accommodation would extend their facilities. If the scheme to erect a £IO,OOO building on the site ci the Terminus Hotel was gone on with he felt it would be a success, and if necessary the public would no doubt provide some of the reouitcu capital. He was certain a building giving accommodation for fifty people would be full all the year. In the winter it would be taxed and in the summer it would be quite inadequate. The motion was then carried.

Mr. Shaw, of Messrs Payne and Shaw, stated that if his firm had been able to procure the Terminus Hotel property at a certain price they would probably now be engaged in erecting a first-class hotel on that site. As to what they would be prepared to do in regard to the proposal to build a hostelry he could say nothing definite at present, but he felt certain they would be prepared to put a certain sum of money in it.

THE COMMITTEE. The following committee was appointed:—Messrs T. C. List, J. R. Cruiokshank, A. McHardy, J. Clarke, S. W. Shaw, W. C. Weston, S. Teed, A. E. Sykes, J. C, Morey, J. McLeod, and Dr. Leatham. GENERAL. Votes of thanks were passed to the secretary (Mr. Collis), and the treasurer (Mr. McHardy). Complimentary reference was made to the work of the chairman, and a hearty vote of thanks was passed to him. The assistance of the press was also acknowledged. Mr. King and Dr. Leatham gave their names as members for three years at an annual subscription of £5 ss.