HON. DR. McNAB'S VISIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1916, Page 7

HON. DR. McNAB'S VISIT.

TRIP TO THE MOUNTAIN 1 ,

The Hon. Dr., McNab visited the I Egmont House yesterday morning, being accompanied by His Worship w '^ r - H. Burgess), and Mr. W. 'A, Collis (chsirnntri of the Mountain House Committee), Mr, Percy Smitk Rev. A. B. Cha.ppell, and others. Mist prevailed near the House, but it afterwards lifted, and enabled the party to navt a gßo<l view of the surrounding country. The Minister inspected the hostelry, as well as the old House, and was much interested in what he saw. _Mr. Collis approached the Minister with a view to the Tourist Department taking over and conducting the hostelry, pointing out that the pioneering work had been done, and that the institution was now more than paying ita way, the previous loss of £3OO having been wiped off last year. There was a considerable demand for accommodation in the summer months, and the present house was totally inadequate. Another twelve or twenty rooms were urgently needed, and could be run without further management- lost, but the committee were unable to finance this, having just as much as it could do to pay for the present building, which had cost a great deal more than was expected. The Minister said 'lie was impressed with what had been done by local citizens in catering for tourist traffic, and he recognised the need for further accommodation. But as for the Government taking over the hostelry, he was afraid he could not recommend this. It was the general experience that local committees could generally get better value lor the money expended, and attain greater efficiency in conducting these hostelries, than departmental management. He would prefer to give a subsidy to taking over the hostelry. He asked the committee to let him have the plans of the (proposed additions, and he would see what could be done.

Mr. T. C. List (fhairman of the Tourist and Expansion League) also spoke of the work his League was doing for the general tourist. The League's bureau had practically become a Government enquiry office, most of the secretary's time being devoted to enquirers from other places, and who, indeed; were under the impression it was being conducted by the State. The citizens of New Plymouth had entrusted the League with the spending of a considerable sum of money to advertise the district's tourist attractions, and keeping up the office and a secretary attending to outside enquirers, and he thought it but fail that the Government Tourist Department should recognise the work thehy were doing on its behalf by giving them a subsidy. Mr W A Collis spoke to similar effect

T)*> Minister praised the self-reliant and independent way in which New Plymouth had gone about its work, which, he acknowledged, was benefiting the Tourist Department, and he was favorable to granting a subsidy. He asked the League to render him a stateI ment of, its expenditure, and he would I then iee what could be done.

The party had morning tea, pnd then motored home, via Egmont Koad. In the afternoon Dr. McNab proceeded to Dawson's Falls House, via Opur.ake, stopping there for tho night.