King Country Chronicle Tuesday, April 14, 1925. THE TOURIST TRAFFIC.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 2102, 14 April 1925, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Tuesday, April 14, 1925. THE TOURIST TRAFFIC.

The enormous influx of visitors to Te Kuiti during tlie holidays will tend to prove that the tourist traffic is going to be a matter of vital importance to the town. Though authentic figures are not available, it is quite centain that a record has been made in this connection during the last few days, and Te Kuiti is now being recognised as a tourist centre of some importance, and this recognition will be more in evidence year by year. With the Main Highways scheme brought into operation, the motor traffic will increase by leaps and bounds; and by its geographical position Te Kuiti will be a natural centre for motoring parties. Roads will be radiating from the town connecting up> the main tourist resorts of the North Island. Quite adjacent are the Waitomo Caves. With the completion of the repairs to the Mauiakau Road, Rotorua will be within easy access, while the National Park will also in time be available to motorists from Te Kuiti. The newly-

discovered Caves in the district ari creating considerable interest, ant these will in time help to popularise Te Ivuiti from the motorists’ point ol view. On top of these possibilities we have the Te Kuiti-New Plymouth Road which is now recognised to be the most popular of the long-distance motor runs in the North Island, both from a tourist and commercial point of view. Some of these are, perhaps, only possibilities, and it will be some time before they are established facts. The draw that the Caves and the New Plymouth Road have proved themselves to be only goes to prove; what these

possibilities will mean if they are carried into effect. Provision for tbe accommodation of a large number of visitors to tbe town at certain periods is a difficult problem, and one (that should claim the attention of the people. During the Master holidays there was the utmost difficulty in finding accommodation for a large number of visitors. The various hostels in the town were filled, to overflowing, and if had not been for

the efforts oi' a number of private householders, many purties would have been in dire* straits. The same conditions prevailed during the last Christmas holidays, and many people had to leave the town, some at a late hour in the evening, to procure a night’s lodging at Otorohanga and To Awamutu. While it is fully realised that it is impossible to provide permanent accommodation to deal with any abnormal rush that may accrue during the holidays, it is quite possible to organise a committee to find out those private householders who would

be willing to carter for some of tlie overflow from the hostels. The local Chamber of Commerce has done good work in the past in this respect, but' with the large increase of visitors to Te Kuiti during the holidays, there is an ever-increasing demand for accommodation. We want to popularise our town, and, the only way to do it is by the whole-hearted co-operation of the townspeople. Sightseers are quite ■ willing to pay for these favours, and it means additional business for the j town, besides helping ito make it what J its geographical position entitles it * to—one of the principal tourist centres j of the North Island. j