SYDNEY DIRECT.

Evening Star, Issue 18254, 19 April 1923, Page 2

SYDNEY DIRECT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Sydney to Auckland 1,281 miles, Sydney to Wellington 1,23 J miles, Sydney to Dunedin 1,235 miles. Dunedin is forty-six miles nearer to Sydney than Auckland and four miles nearer than Wellington. Taking this into consideration, and the configuration of New Zealand, Otago and Canterbury should insist on a round service, Sydney to Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin, leaving from the Bluff for Sydney again, the following boat to make Bluff’ the first port, and leave from Auckland on _ tho return journey to Sydney. Additional boats if required could bo run from Sydney to Wellington. Sydney is now definitely the terminal port for Europe, Asia, India, China, Japan, etc., and Now Zealand also, and practically all tourist passengers for Australia ultimately visit Sydney. To roach New Zealand they have at present no option but to go to Auckland or Wellington, and it they have tho wish to see our lakes and mountain scenery it takes at least four days to reach Wakatipu from Auckland and the same to return, so that eight days are wasted, and there ia tho additional expense of return fares, as the outbound boats all leave from Wellington and Auckland

The exhibition in Dunedin, 1925-26, is now a certainty, and it behoves us all to give it and our province a fair chance, hut if tho boats run as they do at present what do yon think yourself?

In my humble opinion it will pay tho companies bettor to inaugurate the round Service I have outlined, and it will certainly suit ns better, than the present arrangements, with an occasional boat to Melbourne. If the Sydney to Bluff run is established, I am satisfied that our tourist traffic to the south would bo bigger than ever, and our southern scenic resorts will bo visited by thousands annually, who, under present conditions como no farther south than Wellington. Apart altogether from the pleasure and interest there is in meeting strangers from far lands, tourists as a rule spend a good deal of money, and though wo in the south may not bo hard up I don’t think a little more outside capital gathered in would do us any harm.— I am etc., Hound Tkip. April 18.