Tourism Fillip Sought

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29853, 20 June 1962, Page 16

Tourism Fillip Sought

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 19. Mr G- A. Walsh (Government, Tauranga) said in the House of Representatives today that Government after Government had done little, if anything, to encourage tourism in New Zealand. He said a Government department was trying to do the job under impossible administrative conditions.

“First we should have one Minister of Tourism, not two," he said.

“We have one organisation one department, one general manager—and two bosses.

Mr Walsh said organisations. such as the Travel and Holidays Association and the Tourist Hotel Corporation, were trying to do something and failing. Tourism was a £4OOO million world business.

He compared the rise in New Zealand’s tourist revenue from £2.4 million in 1956 to £4.1 million in 1959 with the same figures for: France, £6l million to £175 million. Australia, £4.5 million to £l6 million.

Japan. £22 million to £3B million.

Mr Walsh said tourism promoted the welfare of New Zealand in that it gave other parts of the world knowledge of our way and showed that our interests in other countries could not be questioned New Zealand had all types of attractions to show tourists, but he regretted to disclose what he found during inquiries in Manila and Hong Kong on a recent visit A leading tourist booking company in Hong Kong did not have a single pamphlet on New Zealand. Pan American Airways in Manila had no information on New Zealand at all, and "nor would they have until an air service of international standing came to New Zealand,” Mr Walsh said. Debate On East The House of Representatives on Thursday evening will debate South-east Asia

and its problems and New Zealand’s relationship with the area. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) moved in the House today that time be set aside for the debate.

During the recess 12 members of the House in two parties made tours lasting five weeks of South-east Asia and Japan.

Opossum Control Opossum bounties would not be reintroduced, the Minister of Lands (Mr Gerard) said in the House today. The reason for this was the progress being made with direct control measures. Mr Gerard was replying to a question by Mr P. Blanchfield (Opposition, Westland) Mr Gerard said the bounty had been stopped by the previous Government as ineffective. The present Government had endorsed the move and, since March, 1961. had introduced direct control measures by Rabbit Boards and the Forest Service.

Major control work over 150,000 acres of the worst opossum areas in Westland was at present being conducted by the Forest Service and would shortly be completed.