NEW ZEALAND HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1938, Page 18

NEW ZEALAND HOUSE

THE BOOK

A RECORD YEAR

(From.The "Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, February 23

All records for the number of Dominion visitors calling at New Zealand House in London were, broken last year. The total number of new arrivals who registered was 3506, compared with the peak figure of 2676 established in the previous year—an increase of over 31 per cent.

For a long time the record stood at 2669, set in 1924, the first year of the Wembley Exhibition. Totals were smaller in the following years, but the record was closely approached in the last boom year before the'slump, 1930, when 2644 visitors registered.

In the three .following years the] total slumped badly/there being fewer •than 2000 callers on each occasion, until in 1933 only 1388.visitors registered. There was a remarkable recovery in 1935 when a new record of 2675 was .establishfid^i«ffihifli'a«as;-i : ex.oeededI.:.by^1.:.by^ one. in. .the following y.ear, but the increase "in 1937 was very much more substantial and is tlikely to stfahd for some time. ' ' ; ''•<.-■ . ■■;

The record for the number of visirtors in any one month was also broken when 729 callers registered last April. This was well in excess of any total previously recorded. The Coronation had the effect of bringing New Zealand visitors to England earlier than usual. The peak months are normally May and June, whereas last year they were April and May. . ... • ■'