ATTRACTIONS OF SOUTH ISLAND

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21245, 17 August 1934, Page 14

ATTRACTIONS OF SOUTH ISLAND

i NEGLECT BY THE TOURIST i DEPARTMENT DENIED fFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON. August IG. "During the last year there has i again been in evidence a belief in parts of the South Island that for some reason not clearly expressed the Department is neglected, both in the matters of publicity and bookings, of the attractions of the south," states the annual report of the Tourist Department, tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. "It appears to be difficult," adds the report, "to convince those who complain in this regard that the South 1s- ; land suffers for reasons quite beyond [ the control of the department, more I particularly in steamship connexions;, ! and the desires of visitors with only a brief period to spend in the Domin- ; ion to see those of New Zealand's attractions which are more or less unique in character. Many people from overseas have only a brief time allotted to sightseeing in the Dominion, and as they necessarily arrive either at Auckland or Wellington, and also leave from one or other of those ports, there is a tendency for that time to be spent wholly in the North Island. This tendency is reinforced by the fact that the thermal activity of) New Zealand makes a particular r.p- j peal, especially in its association with | the native life of the country. Ameri- j can visitors, in particular, prefer to j omit the mountain and lake scenery of the south in favour of a type of Hi- , traction which cannot be seen else- ; where. : "The departmental officers, recognls- ! ing as they do that the natural scenery i of the South Island is of outstanding beauty and magnificence, are at all times anxious to increase the satisfaction of visitors by including these regions in itineraries; but the points nlready mentioned are a definite handicap in that regard. "In ot'erseas publicity it can be clearly demonstrated that there is no foundation for any suggestion that a fair balance is not maintained between the attractions of the two islands."