TOURIST INFLUX

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 150, 22 December 1938, Page 10

TOURIST INFLUX

TWO LINERS DUE

GROWTH IN TRAFFIC

(Special to the "Evening Post")

\ AUCKLAND, This Day,

There will be over 1300 passengers in two liners reaching Auckland tomorrow. The Matson liner Monterey has 215 landing and 337 through passengers from America and island ports, while the Orient liner Orford has 675 cruise passengers from Australia and 120 landing at Auckland, the majority having travelled with the vessel from England. The arrival of the Aorangi from Sydney on December 26 and the P. and O. liner Narkunda on a cruise from Australia on December 31 will further swell the large number of visitors over the holiday period.

The Orford, which is the third cruise liner to visit Auckland this season, will arrive at, 8 a.m. tomorrow and sail at midnight on Saturday for Paihia. Trips to various parts of the North Island have been arranged for the visitors by the Tourist Department. In addition to the usual tours to Rotorua, Taupo, Wairakei, and Waitomo, provision has been made on this occasion for a visit to Whangarei and through the Kauri Forests, allowing tourists to rejoin the ship at Paihia on Christmas Day, before the vessel leaves on her return journey to Australia.

"Including the Orford's passengers, about 2000 persons will have visited New Zealand this season 'in cruise liners, excluding several hundred passengers landing at Auckland. It is unlikely that the total will reach last year's record figure of 6654, as only eight cruise liners are scheduled to visit the Dominion this season, compared with twelve last season. There are indications, however, that general tourist traffic will compare favourably with last season. Almost every passenger vessel to visit Auckland recently has had all accommodation taken, and in several it has been necessary to convert public rooms into dormitories to provide for all wishing to travel.