WAITAKI TOURISM

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30294, 21 November 1963, Page 12

WAITAKI TOURISM

Prospect For Expansion (From Our Own Reporter) OAMARU, November 20. New Zealand had built its prosperity on its capacity to produce well what it could and sell well where it could, 1 Mr A. D. Dick (National.! Waitaki) said at Kurow. The Government would continue to develop an export-mindedness in the whole community, he said. In the Waitaki electorate tire greatest future for expansion lay in tourism. Tourism should, and could be the next best earner of overseas funds after the farming industry. Mr Dick said that when Mangere airport came in the Dominion must be ready to meet the increased flow of tourists. Even today Mount Cook had a 93 per cent bed occupancy and of every 1000 tourists who arrived at Auckland 800 went to Mount Cook The Government was building new hotels and was encouraging overseas investment in others, at the same time safeguarding the interest of internal investors. The Waitaki valley was richly endowed with tourist attractions. It had the most famous national park in the country, the rivers, mountains and sea, and all that was required was to exploit these. Valley Authority Mr Dick saw the advantages of a valley authority to i plan strategic tree planting,! access roads, camping areas l and motels for the three [ future man-made lakes. To-j gether with the three natural lakes, the valley would have’ something the rest of New Zealand did not have—a tour' of a chain of lakes. There was room for quite i a few industries, particularly I those allied to farming, in j the valley. Of importance to the elec-' torate was the Government's! proposal to extend the farm advisory service. Department of Agriculture officers, were doing remarkable work, but their field was too wide for the numbers in the service. What was required were specialist officers in the various fields of farming National’s farming policy was a feasible and forwardlooking one. The Government would continue its irrigation policy, and at the same time would ensure the taxpayer was protected by not implementing uneconomic or unsound schemes. The Government was spending £4OOO to £5OOO a year on investigating schemes. Mr Dick said he felt special cases could be made out for some schools such as Kurow and Otematata for increased assistance to enable them to meet higher costs in administration because of remoteness and colder winters.