THE TOURIST TRAFFIC.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3253, 11 September 1917, Page 4

THE TOURIST TRAFFIC.

The following letter has been seat by the secretary of the local Expansion- League to the Ministers of Kailways and Tourist Resorts, Sir J. 0; Ward, the Hon W. Fraser and the Southland and Expansion Leagues:—"On behalf of the local branch of the Otago Expansion League I have the honour to address you and to respectfully request that some special concession be made to Queenatown in the passenger service during the coming tourist' season. I beg to submit that Queenstown, where the Government have spent a considerable amount of money in improvements, occupies a unique position as a tourist resort, being almost entirely dependent upon the tourist traffic. The* cessation of the week-end excursions; and the abolition of the general ex-= cursion tickets have weighed very heavily upon the inhabitants duringthe last 5 or 6 months, and we are bound to view with serious apprehension the coming season if the Govern-, ment declines to make some concession in railway fares. My League would not feel justified to ask for wis concession at the present time if it put the Government under extra expense, but considering that the train* run daily between here and the coast and that an excellent lake service exists for the use of the public, we feel sure that under the desired altered couditions the revenue would be greatly increased, while no extra expense would devolve upon the Government. Considering, tnen, that excursions to Queenstown are often a matter of physical necessity to the people in larger totoms, that they are of considerable benefit to the people in this district, that they entail no extraexpenseon the Government-tut a e likely to increase the revenue, we respectfully request that concessions—aa formerly—be granted in fares for genera! excursion tickets between here and Christchurch, and that the weekend excurisons between here and the coastal towns be reinstated during the coming season.' i