DECRYING SOUTHERN RESORTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15513, 14 February 1916, Page 5

DECRYING SOUTHERN RESORTS.

IX FAVOUR OF ROTORUA

SOME STRAIGHT TALK,

During a luncheon given by the Otago Expansion League on Friday, the president (Mr A. Bathgate) spoke plainly about influences at work to give tourists a poor idea of the Cold Lakes as a holiday resort (says the "Otago Daily Times").

Mr Bathgate said that the League had their information from a Dunedin gentleman who, when in Auckland or R-otorua, ran against a party of Australian ladies. In conversation he asked them if they were going to "do" the Milford track, and they replied that they had been told at the office that it was greatly overrated. It was learned that the office was Cook's offiec, and it was found that the people, not only there, but also in Inverca.Xgiil, were doing their best to belittle that scenic attraction. The League also had another instance where a party from the Cape were told that Queen-stown and "YYakatipu were not worth visiting. Further enquiry elicited the suggestion that Cook's people were paid a commission on tourists booking to Rotorua, but none on these Southern parts. A Member: They do.

ill* Bathgate said that at any rate that was the suggestion made. The League communicated with the Government and the Tourist Department, suggesting that if there was any difference in the commission they should be made equal, or the commission altogether abolished. He mentioned this as showing that there were influences aii work to boom Ilotorua (which they knew the Government Tourist Department had been prone to do), and to neglect the Southern resorts. Mr Mark Cohen said that he could bear out much of what the chairman had said. On the steamer coming from Amcrica lie had found -that there was an undercurrent directed against the South Island which he could not understand, and the influence of which wa« detrimental to the Cold Lakes. It seemed to him that latterly the Tourist Department had got out of hand completely. He wondered if the time had not arrived for the abolition of the Department, and the centring of its activities in the R-ailwav Department, as was done in Australia. America, and Canada. There the railway systems were "worked in" with the show places, and they engaged the livest men to "boost" their scenic_ attractions. It was, indeed, their boast that they got thousands of bookings a year ahead to such attractions as the Grand Canon, in Arizona. If we had such a system, such complaints as this would be impossible, because the servants of the State would have an interest only in attracting visitors to the show places, and no incentive from commissions.

REPLY OF TOURIST AGENTS

(SPECITO "THE PRESS.") DUNEDIN, February 12. The local representatives of Thomas Cook and Son have addressed a letter to the president of the Otago Expansion League in reference to a statement made by him yesterday accusing Cook's of influencing tourists against the Lakes district. The firm write:— "As to favouring Rotorua against the Lakes on account of greater commission, tlio statement is absurd. The exercise of a very little common-sense .and elementary arithmetic -would have shown you thait it is much more prof 1 table tor our .Northern office to book tourists over a long distance rail journey arid expensive motor and steamer trips, than to send them to Rotorua, a much shorter journey with an average maximum of side trips of about, £2. If, instead of making wild statements, enquiry had been made into the causes why the Lake tours arc neglected, the reasons would be apparent. Owing to the Bluff-Melbourne service being throe-weekly instead of weekly, Ausitralian tourists are at a- great disadvantage in doing theso Lakes, and it can hardly be expected that tourists will inconvenience themselves and extend their holidays to please the Otago Expansion League. The Australian traffic, is now almost wholly SydneyWellington, arttl thence to Auckland, Sydney, or vice versa. For these tourists to do the Lakes would entail a return journey by rail from Lyttelton to Queenstown, occupying four days, and one that few lady tourists would feel inclined to undertake. If the amount of literature supplied to Messrs T. Cook and Son, D.unedin, is a criterion of the amount supplied to this firm in uthe r places, it is not surprising that the Lakes district is neglected, as the only pamphlets your League sent were some 150 on Queenstown (not 300 as stated) to deliver throughout Australia. Theso were only obtained after a refusal by us to sell them at 6d each, pointing out that pamphlets of this nature must be given awav free. Any other pamphlets we obtained were got bv personal application for them, and although repeatedly asked by tourists for guides to Dunedin your Loasrue have never sent one copy to the officc. Is this Otago expansion?"