SOUTH ISLAND TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 104, 26 January 1939, Page 10

SOUTH ISLAND TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

Antagonism Toward North Island Denied NEED FOR UNIFICATION OF ADVERTISING By Telegraph—Press Association. GREYMOUTH, January 25. The need for unification Qf national tourist advertising was stressed by a number of speakers at an executive meeting of the South Island Travel Association in Greymouth today. The question arose on the adoption of a report by the director, Mr. J. J. W. Pollard, who stated: “The ’New Zealand Herald,’ Auckland, commenting on the association’s annual conference, chided it about spreading the North v. South idea. The reply sent to the newspaper pointed out that in none of its publicity did the association adopt this course.” The chairman, Mr. A. H. Allen, mayor of Dunedin, said the development of tourist advertising in the South Island had been largely by individual effort of provinces but anything done for the benefit of the South Island 'benefited the Dominion as a whole. The association represented every district in the South Island and, by unification, was able to drive home to people in other parts of New Zealand its beauties and attractions. They were big enough to admit that there were great attractions in all parts of New Zealand but believed they had in the South Island in concentrated form far more natural beauty than could lie found in any other part of the world. They wanted to do all they could to develop the South Island, thereby helping New Zealand generally, and he said the association was not in existence for the purpose of decrying the North Island. Mr. C. H. CUbborn (Christchurch): I think the Auckland Tourist League Is a little jealous of our activities in our own interest. Mr. W. Begg (Dunedin) criticized the Tourist Department in Auckland for failure to advise tourists of South Island attractions and said if the association was to succeed it must undermine that sort of thing or root it out altogether. Mr. Allen’s suggestion that the matter be taken up with the Tourist De■•partment was adopted. Milford Sound Moorings. It was decided to urge the Government to erect adequate moorings in Milford Sound where, it was stated, large ocean liners on cruises were,, unable to enter because of the possibility of difficulties in the event of a sudden wind arising. It was also decided again to draw the attention of the Government to the necessity for resuscitating the BluffMelbourne passenger service, concerning which a deputation from the association recently waited on Mr. Savage. The possibility of cruises from Australia including South Island ports was evisaged in a report by Mr. Pollard, who said the Orient Line was interested in giving passengers an opportunity of travelling in the South Island. The completion of the new motor road between Otago and Westland would facilitate the project but in the meantime it was likely that vessels would disembark passengers at Lyttelton and re-embark them at Plcton. The meeting decided that it was desirable to establish a South Island travel selling unit at the Centennial Exhibition in the South Island Court provided "sufficient finance was available. The estimated cost was £lOOO.