THE COLD LAKES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3125, 4 May 1915, Page 5

THE COLD LAKES.

FACILITIES FO"R VISITORS TO

QUEENSTOWN

DEPUTATION TO MP RHODES (IN DITNEDIN.)

The necessity for piving added facilities to tourists and others desirous of visiting Queenstown was brought under the notice of the Hon. R, Heaton Rhodes (Minister in charge of the Tourist Department) by a deputation from the Otago Expansion League, which waited on him at the Grand Hotel on Thursday evening. The deputation was introduced by Mr W. Downie Stewart, M.P. Mr A. Bathgate (president of the League) said that the matters on which he desired to speak affected the tourist, traffic. The Government intend to close the dailv service be-

tween Dunedin and Queenstown at the; end of this month. The year before last it was continued till the end oif May, and the deputation thought that it should be continued till the end of May this year. The week - end excursion trips in winter from Dunedin to Queenstown were greatly patronised last year, the number of passengers expected by thai Railway Department being greatly exceeded. During the winter the. steamers running up the lake served the stations 011 both sides. That made the time occupied on the trip much longer than it would ofher-

wise be, and rendered the sailing from Glenorchy uncertain. It was suggest - that when the steamer ca.me to thci

Head of the Lake on the occasion.* of the week-en a excursions it sliouN serve only one siue of the lake

coming down, and go direct to Glenorchy 011 the up trip. If that wore none passengers by the steamer wou'd have an opportunity to reach Paradi-c —an opportunity denied them undei

Present, conditions. It would be * :ery trifling inconvenience to tho dation-owners. for the steamer ran on it her days of the week. There was 1 I'eeling thai the lake attractions iad not received the attention from

lie Tourist Department that they night have. Compared with Rotorua, hey were not advertised as well as

hey might be. In regard to another natter, he did not wish to make comdatnts alien t an official, but front Lit -

ormaLon received he was afraid that

he man in charge of the boat trifle at Queenstown was not fully alivi o the value of the tourist trifle, and did not lay himself out to en-

courage it. in any way. To proceed, during the recent cheap trips to Queenstown a number of persons took out tickets on the last day of the excursion rates and when they arrived at Queenstown they found that they could not go up the lake without paying full fare. In future those holding excursion tickets from Dun-

diii should be able to proceed to he Head of the Lake at excursion

ares. Such of the matters he had

lentioned as lay within the Miniser's department he hoped the latter • ould consider, and the rest he asked

im to place before the Minister of 'ailwavs.

Mr .J. Inglis Wright said that it was< thought that the trips that were run did not receive the publicity they, should. If there were one daily serv:ce from Queen-town it shouln be. from Dunedin. and not from Livercargill. The Mmister said that he was wil:ng to do anything in his power t<i bring visitors from overseas. But, with one exception, all the matters referred to should have been placed before the Minister of Railways, and ho himself would place them before Mr Herries. It was said that the attractions of Queenstown. should be sufficiently advertised. He was told in other quarters that Rotorua was not. sufficiently advertised. He was told

otlier quarters that RnUirua was

not sufficiently advertised, and he did not think he could satLsfv anv

Dmmunity that its attractions wen roperly advertised. He thought tin

epart intuit was doing its duly in that aspect, and a good {leal of money .was

lent. The South Island was fairly •eated in comparison with the North

in this matter. He would repeal thai lie. would l>rinir the questions affecting the Railway Department before. Mr Herries.

The deputation thanked the Minis er and withdrew.— 'Dailv Times.'