NELSON MOST PLEASANT CITY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 January 1939, Page 4

NELSON MOST PLEASANT CITY

MAGNIFICENT ASSET OF TAHUNA BEACH MESSRS BARNARD AND BENNETT ON CYCLING TOUR “The beach at Tahuna is a magni-' ficent asset to Nelson and a great deal could be done to still further improve it. I was greatly taken by the garden; and parks, particularly the Queen’s Gardens, and the layout of the town appears excellent. I know of Nelson’s fine climate which is an asset, and in making no attempt at flattery, I would say that excepting my own town, Nelson is the most pleasant city or town in New Zealand.” That comment was made 10-day to a “Mail” representative by the Hon. W. E. Barnard. M.P., Napier. Speaker of the House of Representatives, who, in company with Mr S. J. Bennett, of Palmerston North, ha. been in the Nelson district on a cycling lour for the past 10 days.

Mr Barnard and Mr Bennett nave made their tour in easy stages, and mixing travelling, inspections of the towns and industries of the district, and bowling on the Maitai, TakakN. Motueka, Wakefield and Havelock greens, they have had a very enjoyable holiday.

On crossing to Picton they went by train to Blenheim and cycled to Have lock on the first day of their tour. The next day they made Nelson it being hard cycling on account of the Rai ana Wangamoa Hills. The cyclists spent & week-end in Nelson before leaving on Monday. 9th January, for Riwaka where they visited tobacco plantations ano learned something of the problems of the growers. They took a service cai to the top of the Takaka Hill and cycled down to Takaka On Wednesday of last week Onekaka was visited, the tunnelling work on the iron deposits being inspected. On account of threatened stormy conditions they travelled by service car back to Motueka where they stayed for a night and took the opportunity of visiting the Government Tobacco Reconditioning Factory. Taking to their cycles again they covered the Motueka Valley-Dovedale route to Wakefield. The cyclists remained at Wakefield from Friday evening until Sunday morning when they came on to Nelson.

This morning, accompanied by Mr H Atmore M.P., the visitors went to the Cawthron Institute and Nelson Colleges. To-morrow afternoon Mr Barnard will address a meeting in connection with the Chinese refugees’ relief fund and he will leave for the North Island in the evening.

Mr Barnard had only visited Nelson once before, eight years ago, when 1 e made a week-end visit to Motueka with a Parliamentary Committee to inspect the tobacco p’antations.