RECIPROCAL TOURS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 151, 23 March 1938, Page 6

RECIPROCAL TOURS

Australia And New Zealand VICTORIANS WELCOMED “I think it would bit it great thing to organise similar Lours from New Zealand to Australia," said the Minister iu Charge of the Tourist Department, Hou F Langstoue, when speaking last night at a Wellington Travel Club reception to the party of Victorian ' Peso tourists visiting New Zealand. Mr. Langstoue, who remarked Unit it was the first lime any member of the Government had had the pleasure of welcoming the visitors, expressed regret that the Prime Minister, Rt. lion. M. J. Savage, was not present to welcome them personally. “1 am pleased to see that the ‘Keso people are so keen on travel,’ said Mr. Langstoue, “because travel and trade go hand in hand. Our Tourist Department is a spending department. During the current year about £200,000 has been spent on advertising and general tourist publicity organisation. .We control assets in various parts of New Zealand valued at about £700,000. Our object is to organise these to the best of our ability in order to get people to come to New Zealand for their travel. The only argutiient we can use to the Minister of Finance is that he will get back into his exchequer a good part of what they spend here.” "We trust every moment of your stay will be one of enchanting pleasure,” the Minister concluded. "Anything the department cau do to organise return trips will be done, so that Australia and New Zealand may be joined by evencloser ties of personal friendship.” The visitors were welcomed also by the mayor of Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, who is president of the travel club, and the Assistant Australian Trade Commissioner, Mr. J. L. Menzies. In reply the. leader of the Victorian party, Hon, H. 11. Olney, said that one of the great impressions formed by members of the party was of the wonderful work the pioneers must have done. The difficulties they endured in order to prepare such a heritage made them worthy of tribute.

Milford Sound received special mention from the speaker, who said the party saw it under the best weather conditions. He himself had seen the fiords of Norway, but New Zealand had something far superior. He felt be had not been fair to New Zealand in delaying his visit for so long, and would advise his friends in Australia to come here before going further afield. New Zealand could teach them lessons iu pasture nui Vigement, sheepraising and many dtliif things. “I do not look on the Tasman Sea as a separation,” said Mr. Olney, “but as a bond linking the two countries. We revere the name Anzae as you do that the battlefield drew us closer together.” He concluded by paying a tribute to the officers of the Tourist Department for their services to the party ou the New Zealand tour.