“COLONIAL TOWN”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30153, 10 June 1963, Page 6

“COLONIAL TOWN”

Interest For Tourists

Mr W. J. Gardner, a Christel lurch member of the National Historic Places Trust, has supported the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce in its request for a subsidy toward adequate hotel accommodation at Akaroa.

“The Tourist Department test seems to be self-help,” he said. “It does not seem to be aware that Akaroa is doing a great deal toward making itself a centre of historical interest for tourists.

“The Akaroa County Council and other bodies, including the trust, will have spent about £ 10,000 toward this end by die end of this year,” said Mr Gardner.

“The trust is fully alive to the value of Akarda as a living example of the New Zealand colonial town and is exploring ways and means of preserving some areas in it as historic reserves. Though a good deal of its old character has unfortunately been lost, much that is worth-while remains.”

Portions of the Rue Jolie preserved die atmosphere of early Canterbury, for example, and could (perhaps with the co-operation of the owners and with the help of the Government, trust, and local bodies) be used as an experiment in a new type of historical preservation.

“As a South Islander,” said Mr Gardner, “I' can’t help comparing the beauties of the best parts of Akaroa with an equally-historic town, Russell. There can be little doubt which better preserves the atmosphere of colonial New Zealand.

“It would be interesting to know how Government Tourist Department assistance to Russell and Akaroa compare,” said Mr Gardner. The National Historic Places Trust had invited the Akaroa County Council to consider the preservation of certain portions of the town as historic reserves and also invited the co-operation of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. A conference might be called, he said.

Ancient History.—Archaeological finds in Kazakhstan have extended the ancient history of the region by 300.000 to 500.000 years, and revealed areas where primitive man used to dwell.—Moscow. June ,7.