NO CHANGE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 May 1936, Page 2

NO CHANGE

IN TOURIST DEPOSITS

CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT POLICY

WELLINGTON, May 4.

“It would not te advisable generally to revoke the provision for the payment of'the deposit oi £lO in respect of the temporary permits issueu to' visitors on arrival in New Zealand,” writes the Minister of Customs, Hon. W. Nash, in a letter to the New Zealand Tourist League. The letter is an outcome of a resolution passed by a reebnt provincial tourist conference held in Auckland, requesting the abolition of the dfeposit. “The purpdse of the deposit is to provide an incentive for the visitor to report to department at the time of his deparuyfe,” the letter continues. “It also gives the visitor an inducement to leave within the period specified m the permit, or to make application for an extension, of so desired, to avoid forfeiture of the deposit. It is necessary that there shuld be some means of ensuring that persons attj mitted temporarily as visitors have left the Dominion. “The requirement is waived in the case of persons who are prominent in political, scientific, commercial and similar spheres, and also Jn the case of tourists travelling on a through ticket for some place beyond New Zealand, and who are visiting the Dominion on scheduled itineraries atranged by certain tourist - agencies. , “With regard to the examination of foreign visitors on arrival, there is naturally a little delay pending the preparation of their permits, Nut asi-.a >rule an officer is set aside especially for the purpose. Your 1 statement that foreign visitors are • segregated ' for further inspection along with Chinese Hindus affd suspected persons does not' fairly set out the position. . “The desirability of encouraging tourist traffic is fully recognised, but fn dealing with the admission of foreign tourists the ; Government must have regard to the interests and welfare of the Dominion not only from the point of view of festering the traffic. '

In reply the Tourist League states that last year the Tourist Department made a loss of over £60,000, excluding the publicity vote, in an endeavour to promote . travel business, j yet the Custom s Department' wants to give visitors an incentive to leave..,