Decision Attacked

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31770, 29 August 1968, Page 20

Decision Attacked

(N Z Press Association)

Wellington, Aug. 28.

The Government’s decision to establish a new village at Birch Hill was unrealistic and would require duplication of services, the managing director of Mount Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist Company, Ltd (Mr H. R. Wigley) said today. Mr Wigley, who is also president of the New Zealand Travel and Holidays Association, said the popular and obvious choice for the village was at Hooker Flat, closer to the Hermitage. “The decision could only have been made under pressure from the conservationists and at the expense of the people who live and have to work in the Mount Cook area. It is quite impractical from their point of view,” he said Referring to the Minister’s statement that the village was also designed to provide sup plementary visitor accommodation, Mr Wigley said that few tourists liked to be separated from the centre of activity, the Hermitage. “Anyone who builds motels and tourist accommodation at Birch Hill will have to supply transport six miles to the Hermitage,” he said. Mr Wigley said it would be difficult for tourist promoters to persuade people to stay at Birch Hill village, separated as it was from the Hermitage, and his company certainly would not urge its customers to stay there.