By-laws for raft operators expected

Press, 14 January 1987, Page 6

By-laws for raft operators expected

Licensing by-laws for raft and jet boat operators are expected to be introduced later this year in Queenstown. The Queenstown harbourmaster, Mr Marty Black, said yesterday the Queenstown Borough Council was taking steps to formalise a seies of voluntary agreements which operators were already working under. He expected the new by-laws to be in force before the next summer tourist season began. All craft and boatmen would have to be licensed under the bylaws. Boats and rafts would have to be chekced and operators would have to satisfy three examiners of their competence before being given a licence. Mr Black said there were five raft operators in the Queenstown area, and all were reponsible. “Rafting has been under a lot of exposure recently because of accidents. Queentown has a high profile and no-one wants accidents,” he said. The present season had been good so far with only a few minor accidents such as bruises and broken bones. “There is always an element of risk with rafting, that is why people want to go,” said Mr Black. Mr Geoff Hunt, of Value Tours in Queenstown, said rafting standards improved several years ago. All operators near Queenstown were professionals. There were none who worked only at week-ends. Operators there had established limits on rafting when the rivers were too high .or the water too cold. They had only continued to raft last winter because of a price war which had made it difficult to make money. The voluntary agreements had been observed and no-one had rafted in dangerous conditions, said Mr Hunt

An artist's impression of Christchurch’s new $7 million “Television House,” which will be ready for occupancy in June, 1»88. Designed by a Christchurch firm of architects, Charles R. Thomas and Associates, the new administration building will be built in Worcester Street, next to Television New Zealand’s existing studios. TVNZ will lease six floors of the 11-storey building, which will be developed by the Forbes Group.