Govt blamed for tourist downturn
The Labour Government had “well and truly sunk" the Foveaux Strait ferry service, said the chairman of the Stewart Island County Council, Mr Bruce Ford, yesterday.
Where islanders had feared the loss of the Wairua with the previous Government’s proposal to replace her with a 50-pas-senger vessel, the new Government had gone a step further with fare increases, said Mr Ford.
The County Council and the Stewart Island Promotion Association and the Wairua Action Committee planned to lodge formal objections to the increases with the Ministry of Transport, the Press Association reports.
Stewart Island tourism has halved over the Christ-mas-New Year period since the Government doubled the Foveaux Strait ferry fares.
About 1500 people were staying in the Halfmoon Bay village when normally a peak holiday population of 3000 was expected, said Mr Ford. Mr Ford blamed the Minister of Transport. Mr Prebble, who announced fare and freight increases of 100 per cent on the ferry
Wairua less than two weeks before Christmas. The adult one-way fare rose from $l6 to $32. Cancellations trom holidaymakers since news of the fare increases were “horrific," said the action committee’s chairman, Mrs Gwen Neave.
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Press, 3 January 1985, Page 4
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196Govt blamed for tourist downturn Press, 3 January 1985, Page 4
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