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Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS DEPARTMENT (FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE), BY THE MINISTER OF TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS, HON. SIR J. G. WARD, K.C.M.G.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, My Lokd,— Wellington, 28th August, 1906. I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts for the year ending the 31st March, 1906. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Minister of Tourist and Health Resorts. His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand. The year under review shows an increase in the oversea traffic of 1,150 persons, made up as follows: Australia, 571; United Kingdom, 351 ; United States and Canada, 89; other countries, 139. The total oversea visitors recorded was 7,142, as against 5,992 for the previous year, or an increase of nearly 20 per cent. The substantial increase in the Australian and British figures is undoubtedly largely due to systematic advertising by the Department. Although the advertising done was considerably in advance of previous years, it was comparatively small, and the results may be regarded as very satisfactory. The amount spent on advertising in the Commonwealth was £788 2s. 7d., which, compared with £28,500, the estimated expenditure in this country of the extra 750 tourists, must be regarded as a first-class investment. The number of oversea visitors from the several countries recorde-d for the past three years are as follows : — 1903-4. 1904-5. 1905-6. Australia ... ... ... ... 2,726 2,892 2,376 United Kingdom ... ... ... ... 1,795 2,025 3,463 United States and Canada ... ... ... 417 563 652 European Continent ... ... ... 102 146 175 Africa ... ... ... ... ... 64 113 137 India ... ... ... ... ... 61 86 92 Other countries ... ... ..." ... 68 167 247 5,233 5,992 7,142 These figures provide good evidence of the value and the rate of increase of the traffic. Estimating the amount of capital expended by each visitor at £50, the figures of 1904-5 gave the value of the traffic in round numbers as £299,000; estimating the expenditure on the same basis for the year 1905-6, the value of the traffic is shown to be £357,000, an increase of £58,000 for the year. The direct receipts of the Department amounted to £15,820 10s. lid., the slight shrinkage, £197 12s. 2d., being due to the loss of local traffic caused by unseasonable climatic conditions which particularly affect those of our resorts more particularly maintained for the use of our own people.

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