MERGER URGED

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30559, 30 September 1964, Page 18

MERGER URGED

National Parks And Tourism (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. Mr A. D. Dick (Govt., Waitaki) today advocated the merging of the management of tourism and national parks. > He approved, during the ' discussion of the vote for 1 the Lands and Survey Depart- „ ment in Parliament the enlargement of the annual vote r !for the running of national *) parks from £90,000 to £130,000. 'J This was a sign of prot gress, he said, but as greater , demands were being made on f the parks more would have to be spent on them. Thirty-eight rangers were 1 trying to administer 4.5 mil- ’ lion acres of national park land. They could only man--1 age the essentials, said Mr ’ Dick. Nine parks lacked head- ! quarters buildings and all i needed more public ameni- • ties. In the last two years ■ the number of persons visiting the parks had increased by - 100,000 from 345,000. The three Tourist Hotel ■ Corporation hotels in national parks had accommodated 23,500 overseas visitors in one year. ; “I am sure much of the money spent will be recouped (through tourism,” said Mr 1 Dick.