Tours Decision Criticised

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29803, 21 April 1962, Page 12

Tours Decision Criticised

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. April 20 The decision ot the Government to refuse a permit for Ansett Transport Industries to fly up to 4000 Australian tourists a year to New Zealand was criticised today by Mr G L Barker a Lower Hutt travel agent The Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr McAlaine) said on Wednesday that Ansett "package" tours must come to New Zealand by TEAL or Qantas Ansett sought to use its own aircraft across the Tasman "When New Zealand has an adverse balance of £lO million annually in its tourist industry it is most peculiar that a supposedly private enterprise Government would reject the opoortunity of having up to £1 million additional revenue to protect a S’ate-owned monopoly of Tawnan Emoire Airways and the National Airwavs Corporation." said Mr Barker. >

“Not the least startling of the Minister of Civil Aviation’s announcement is the fact that there is no comment from the Minister in charge of the Tourist Department (Jar Eyre) who has just announced the opening of a New Zealand Government Tourist Bureau in Brisbane with a view to increasing the number of Australian tourists to New Zealand "

The Mayor of Taupo (Mr J W Storey) in a telegram to Mr McAlpine said: ‘Taupo people most upset by your decision on Ansett Seeing you accept the Wigley doctrine on conducted ’ours, suggest you resign in favour of H R Lapwood who shows more imagination and initiative " Mr Storey said (tie Minister wanted to “hop on the bandwagon’ with his TEAL and Qantas scheme, wrhereas tfie whole idea of “package” tours was Ansett’s. South Pacific Airlines of

New Zealand will now ask T.E.A.L. if it is prepared to join forces in promoting package tours of New Zealand for Australian tourists This step was announced by the chairman of directors of SPA.NZ (Mr J F Jjfcnston) “We will now have to take the initiative and try to make alternative arrangements to produce tourism—the basis on which SPAN Z must exist," said Mr Johnston “We will approach TEA.L in the hope of working in with them They would bring the tourists across the Tasman, but I don’t think there is a chance of breaking £AIOO for a 15day tour, which we would have been able to do with Ansett"

general manaver of TEA L . Mr F A. Reeves said that though his airline was involved in several packace tours for Australians, it would be lapoy to work in snth SPANZ.