HUNTING TOUR IN NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28528, 6 March 1958, Page 7

HUNTING TOUR IN NEW ZEALAND

Visit By American Sports Editor

The editor of an American sporting magazine, “Field and Stream,’’ is due to arrive at Auckland today to begin a month’s hunting and fishing in New Zealand. He is Mr Warren Page. Mr Page will be accompanied on most of his expeditions in New Zealand by a photographer of the National Film Unit.

Mr Page has been invited to New Zealand by the Government Tourist and Publicity Department and two commercial organisations. The first week of Mr Page’s visit will probably be spent in biggame fishing in the Bay of Islands. He will then spend three days in trout fishing at Lake Taupo. The main purpose of his visit is to hunt deer. He will do this in the Ruahines and then in the valley of the Dart river and in the Mount Cook area. Mr Page is interested in hunting chamois and that. Mr H. Wigley, of Timaru, who has flown over the Mount Cook area many times, will accompany Mr Page and show him where he has seen animals grazing. Mr Page will bring a movie camera with him to take some 2500 ft of colour film, and this he will screen during lectures to United States hunting clubs. Minister’s Comment

The Minister in charge of Tourist and Health Resorts (Mr Mathison), said that he doubted whether any better man could have been found to publicise New Zealand hunting and fishing in the United States. “The teamwork put into this visit by the Government and private organisations to demonstrate to Mr Page the sporting excellence of New Zealand will pay handsomely in the United States.” said Mr Mathison. ** ‘Field and Stream’ is widely regarded as America’s foremast hunting and fishing magazine. Articles appearing in it, together with illustrated lectures to hunting clubs, could encourage hundreds of American sportsmen to visit New Zealand,” he said. “More money is spent on biggame hunting, deer hunting, and fishing in the United States than on any other sport there,” said the secretary of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association (Mr F. P. Eade) yesterday. “Hundreds of Americans have been to New Zealand and we have had little publicity from them. Mr Page’s visit should alter this,” he said.

“There is a wonderful opportunity for the Government to make something of New Zealand’s hunting and fishing. However, I think the Government is beginning to wake up at last,” said Mr Eade.