"TOURIST TRADE AFFECTED"

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22310, 26 January 1938, Page 12

"TOURIST TRADE AFFECTED"

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NAVIGATION LAWS OF AUSTRALIA

VISITOR'S I'KAISfc FOR

SOt'TK ISLAND

The possibility of developing an extensive tourist trade between Melbourne and Sydney and the South Island of New Zealand is retarded by the operation of the Australian navigation law?, which prevent the establishment of an adequate shipping service, according to Mr John Fuller, of Sydney, who is visiting Christ - church. Mr Fuller, who has been making an extensive motor tour of the South Island, which he considers offers far better scenic and sporting attractions than the north, was formerly prominently connected with the theatrical business.

The South Island, said Mr Fuller, was practically an unknown land to the travellers from across the Tasman. To develop the tourist trade in the South the shipping companies should send luxury liners to the South Island, thereby attracting thousands of Australians (o make the trip every year. The big handicap to the South Island was the navigation laws o! Australia, which made it impossible for a New Zealand registered ship leaving Melbourne to call at Hobart to pick up passengers. The traffic between these centres would help to pay for the service. A ship registered in Australia was allowed to do tnis. This law was similar to the American one regarding the San Francisco line calling at Honolulu. If the Australian laws could be amended, thousands of pounds would be spent in the South Island, as a shipping service linking Melbourne. Hobart and the South Island of New Zealand could then be operated profitably. The excessive heat in Australia during the summer month's ruled out practically all travel in that country, so wealthy Australians should be made to realise the health and benefit they would receive from a trip in the more invigorating climate of the South Island. Tasmania was spending freely to attract tourists. It was passing modern laws about tourist hotels, ensuring that they were clean and hygienic. Tasmania could teach New Zealand a lesson in this respect.

Distribution of Hotels

Much inconvenience was also occasioned by the distribution of hotels throughout the scenic country. Here lay a fault. The hotels should be more conveniently spaced throughout the country, so that motorists would be able to obtaVi meals during a trip or slay a day or two near good fishing streams on the main roads. The difficulties caused by the 40-hour week should also be attended to. These changes would provide attractions for New Zeaianders themselves as well as for overseas tourists. The New Zealand Tourist Department issued excellent booklets on tne attractions of the Dominion, and if hotel proprietors paid the same attention to improvements in the interests of their guests, there would be few complaints from Australians.