Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 1908. OUR NEGLECTED BEAUTIES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2644, 28 January 1908, Page 4

Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 1908. OUR NEGLECTED BEAUTIES.

It is with a sense of humiliation that we direct the attention of our readers to the above. Providence has placed us in the midst of, possibly, the most glorious natural scenery of which the wold knows and within easy and comfortable reach of civilization. Queenstown and the Lakes District are places of unsurpassed charm ; here the heart of man is in touch with the wonders of the Almighty and here on every hand we arc in the presence of the sublime. But these gifts are not, we regret, appreciated at their full value by the Government of the Dominion. They are a closed book to many. It may, to the thoughtless, appear to be mercenary and sordid to seek to exploit scenic splendors in the interests of trade, but a saner opinion will admit that having them it is our duty as well as our pleasure to make the most of them. They should be thrown open to the world. In a sense, it is true, they already are. But what has been done is a mere suggestion of what ought to be done. Whilst hundreds of tourists annually visit us, and while each and every one finds a difficulty in selecting adequate adjectives to qualify his and her admiration, the plain truth is we have not nearly as many as we might have and—more serious still—those we do get are not treated as they might be. We are not, of course, referring to hotel and house accommodation. This although comfortable, will easily admit of expansion. We have more particularly in mind the utter insufficiency of the provision that is made for the convenience and pleasure of our guests. Travellers and tourists come here to enjoy themselves and to spend money. They are not, as a rule, careful of every shilling; they can afford to spend liberally. Yet what particular work has the Tourist Department done to meet the wishes of these? We have written, visitors have written, members of parliament have protested but all to little purpose. Promises have been made and not fulfilled; sums have been set apart that have proved totally inadequate; people have commented sarcastically or indignantly as the humor seized them, but all to small purpose. We continue to pursue a policy of spoiling the ship for the sake of a hap'orth of tar and neither our anger nor our remonstrances nor Jour pleas seem to have the least effect. This season we have been over run with sightseers and health seekers and, we believe, that each one will constitute himself or herself a free advtrtisement on our behalf. Surely we ought to do something in return. We have no need—or rather next to no need—of picture books and advertisements. The district is its own great advertisement. It proclaims itself. Once seen it is never forgotten and the same people return again and again. Our imperative need is a reasonable expenditure of public money. We do not ask for tens of thousands, but when the Rotorua health resort gets £40,000 we are entitled, actually and relatively, to more than a shamefully petty appropriation of £2OOO. The difference between these two amounts is little short of a scandal.-- Here we have a district unrivalled throughout the whole of New Zealand granted an expenditure barely sufficient to erect a picket fence or to paint a flag pole. We do not wonder at the indignant comments of well-known public men who have visited us and know our wants. Mr Laurensox, M.P. for Lyttleton, who in the course of a recent interview declared this district to be " beyond comparison the finest piece of scenery I have seen in New Zealand" says " to make this truly wonderful district accessible to the public, Otago should take united actioih" Mr Laurenso.n, like Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P.,—whose loyal, consistent and intelligent efforts on behalf of all that concerns Lake Wakatipu and the West Coast Sounds cannot be too highly spoken of—is vexed to learn the entirely inadequate sum that is allocated by Parliament for works and

improvements. And neither of these gentlemen is content with mere declamation. Each insists on the necessity (or a better steamer service on the lake. Mr Mackenzie, after a characteristically vigorous onslaught on the sleepy south and an admiring shout over Rotorua's big share of the Tourist Department vote, pleads for tho prompt construction of a tunnel to reach the Gleddau Valley on the Milford side, a new lake steamer and connection between Lake Wakatipu and Te Anau and Wakatipu and Milford Sound. Mr Jaurenson asks for a sufficient sum to provide for another and swifter steamer on Lake Wakatipu which should go once a week at least direct from Kingston to Glenorchy. Also for a horse track from Te Anau to Wakatipu, with a better track up tho Routeburn, and a track up the Rockburn. " These works, he thinks, would in a few years treble the tourist traffiic to the Lakes district of Otago, and would bring before the gaze of the many scenes of earthly beauty and splendor which at present are only looked on by the few." For our own part, we are heartily in accord with Mr Mackenzie and Mr Laurenson and on behalf of the district, and of our readers, we thank them for the valuable services they are rendering by voice and pen and influence to bring to a successful close this all important object. <Jn Queenstown itself and vicinity a few thousands of pounds would go a long way. We want suitable bath houses which could be erected for a little over £SOO and the Government should purchase the block of land facing ths breakwater for the purpose of pleasure gardens. Tbe Ben Lomond run road should be extended, other pastimes besides bowling could will be introduced in the Park, several of the roads and tracks," at the Head of the Lake require to be improved and extended and further facilities provided for the enjoyment of visitors. Chief of all, however, we place the demand for a new steamer service on the lake. The present is far from satisfactory and the cause of much adverse comment on all hands. We earnestly commend the subject matter of this article to those who havo at heart the welfare of the scenic wonders of tho Wakatipu region. It is not a purely local question. The whole province is either directly or indirectly interested. It is theirs to help make the most of what a bountiful and beneficent Province has given in their charge. Even as a business investment it is one of the most profitable that can be named. All that is wanted is a persistent, united effort on the part of people and Parliament. Mr T. Mackenzie has given us right good service and is, we are confident, prepared to do yet more. Mr Laurenion is eloquent on our behalf and wo are not without hope that our own member, Mr Fraser, may do something. We do not want to rely altogether on outfide advocates. The member for Wakatipu should be able to say a few words and led by Mr Mackenzie and Mr Laurenson he doubtless will. We want our scenic assets run for all they are worth. Will the residents also help? There is nothing like agitation, nothing governments are so amenable to. The Premier (Sir J. G. Ward) and the Hon. Mr M'Nab will be visiting Central Otago in March, so why not, then, invite these Ministers and all the Otago members of Parliament to our district? We could then show them want we want, give them a banquet and so impress ourselves and our needs upon them that next session shall secure a sufficient sum to satisfy our demands and t) put the treasures of the Lake within comfortable reach of a!l.