BEAUTIFUL NEW ZEALAND

Evening Star, Issue 21099, 11 May 1932, Page 11

BEAUTIFUL NEW ZEALAND

AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER S HIGH PRAISE VALUABLE PUBLICITY Some months ago New Zealand was visited by a noted American photographer in the person of Mr F. Bayne Glatwoi'thy, who came hero for the purpose of taking a series of those beautiful plates which appear in the ‘.National Geographic Magazine.’ The wonders of New Zealand scenery, under the heading ‘ New Zealand the Beautiful,’ were duly represented in the ‘ National Geographic,’ which, through its enormous world-wide circulation, will most assuredly have served _ the dominion well as a valuable publicity agent.

Apart from the stimulus to tourist traffic given by this periodical, however, the dominion is blessed also with the enthusiastic personal goodwill of Mr Clatworthy, who carries on his useful work as a lecturer of no mean ability. That the famous lecturerphotographer has given New Zealand a very warm corner in his heart is indicated by extracts from letters which have been sent by him to a friend here.

He writes: “I have been boosting New Zealand since my return, and already have several people headed that way. 1 am glad you enjoyed the pictures in tho ‘ Geographic.’ Three million of these pictures wore published and they went to 168 different countries and mandatories. From a point of view of advertising, this would have cost IGOjOOOdoI. If 1 can be of service to you in any way in San Francisco or this country I am at your service.

“ I have had fine large crowds to hear and see my New Zealand lectures, which have created a lot of interest and results that I know of. A lady in Detroit, Mrs Fisher, came up after one lecture and said she had planned to go with her daughters to Germany, but after hearing my lecture had decided to go to New Zealand instead. Another wealthy friend in Chicago, Davis by name, I interested in the fishing, and he wants to go out in December. Another friend, Mrs B. Fritch, of Denver, is leaving on the s.s. Makura with three friends for a six weeks’ tour of the North and South Islands. I told them the best places to go. Hundreds of others that I know of will be influenced to go later. “ I am showing at the President’s Church here in Washington, and _leave for Milwaukee, where I will have three audiences totalling over 3,000. I just received five letters from California asking mo to show New Zealand pictures out there in January. Tho following is an extract from a letter from Mr Clatworthy, written after his departure from New Zealand :

“As 1 get further and further away from your wonderful little country my love for it seems to grow proportionately. I lost my heart to its people and its scenery, and incidentally 1 might mention that you • have tho finest tourist proposition in the world.” While in the dominion tho visitor was particularly struck with the lake and fiord scenery of Otago and Southland. He stated that tho people here did not seem to realise what a wonderful asset they had in their tourist attractions.

The fact that so much publicity is now being given in America to New Zealand would seem to lend weight to tho statements made yesterday in our article on tho prospects of the Southern Pacific Shipping Company. As has been previously stated, the new company is not a subsidiary branch of the Matson Line, but it has the support of the Matson people and will undoubtedly benefit from the propaganda in praise of New Zealand which the American line is circulating throughout the United States by means of newspaper advertising and the circulation of brochures throughout hotels and railway offices. As a result of the efforts of this company, combined with those of Mr Clatworthy, New Zealand should no longer be, in the eyes of America, a mere dot in the heart of the Southern Pacific, or an island off the coast of Australia, but an important unit of the great British Empire—a land comfortably civilised, yet offering refreshing outdoor recreation for all who choose to seek pleasure amid attractive surroundings.