TOURIST OFFICERS AND MOTOR SERVICES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18148, 11 August 1924, Page 11

TOURIST OFFICERS AND MOTOR SERVICES.

- REPLY; TO ALLEGATIONS. The-; stat.eaien.t- made., by Mr J. US. Hawkes, president of the South. Island. Motor Union, at the meeting of the executive'of the Union on Thursday night, alleging that the Tourist - Department "was absolutely working in the interests of the motor services, and not encouraging' private motorists to travel to; scenic resorts in their own cars," has been replied, to by Mr L. •J. Bayfield; the officer in charge of the Tourist Bureau-in Christchurch.

Mr;Bayfield said that' he. did not know whether or not Mr Hawkea was referring ; to .the "Christchurch office of the Department, but when he (Mr Bayfield) read the-statement he had been astonished, not only at 1 the statement itself-but ,also at the manner in which it had been made. As far as. he was personally he had always realised.the value tJ the. help that automobile .associations could give the Department; and, as a matter of fact, he himself was at ; present assisting in the compilation . of. the Association's Official Year Book. >

"The suggestion that the Department is working in the interests of motor service owners, , Mr Bayfield said, "is absurd, and it is difficult to understand why it was made. Thcro are roads in the Dominion over which it. would -be foolish to take .one's own car, and would be particularly so inftho case of flight cars. The officers of the Department do their best to . give motorists, who seek such information, a" true description of roads, and conditions, and so forth." Mr Bayfield, who is, himself- a motorist,- added that he had been over all the tourist routes in New Zealand, and was able to give a first-hand description of all roads leading "to. the chief tourist resorts in the Dominion. He was quite prepared to institute- full enquiries regarding any specific ease brought forward of alleged, wrong; information -having been given by!.the'officers in the Christchurch Tourist Bureau. ■ ,

Some time the 'Tramway Board ntado the!'; terminus of;the "NVcolston trariiwayi'aervice at the Mount Pleasant 1 stop which-is. rQughly, about half-way tiotwWa.Cathedral squire ahdtho giim- [ tier"terminus;.this proved-a<great conveniences to residents of Mount Pleasant, but- was 'discontinued for. some, reason orotier. vlnlhe iaeantinio the*population of Mount Pleasant;has .increased und the necessity for fcbe Woolston termirins' being extended to the Mount Pleasant stop is now "greater in vknv of' the fatrt, amongst others, that ainumher of children •' travel by tram from Mount Pleasant to school in town, and very often they can only get standing rix>m. on ..crowded Sumner tram s. M r H. Hobday informed a. reporter on Saturday that it is intended to approach the Tramway Board with a request that the terminus of the "Woolston trams I'should ; be~ restored -to the Mount Pleas int step.