DEFENCE OF ROTORUA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20156, 17 January 1929, Page 12

DEFENCE OF ROTORUA.

EFFORTS OF LOCAL PEOPLE. MONEY SPENT FROM RATES GOVERNMENT HELP NEEDED. REPLY TO RECENT CRITICISM. [BV TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

A reply to the recent criticisms of the condition of things at Rotorua and Whakarewarewa was mad© to-day by Mr. J. D. Davys, solicitor to the Rotorua Borough Council, who is at present visiting Wellington. Mr. Davys expressed the view that the "sweeping and destructive" criticism of Rotorua made by Mr. 11. D. Bennett, a member of the Wellington City Council, was most unfair and unjust and was not borne, out by the facts.

"Permit me to toll the story on the other side," said Mr. Davys. Up till about the year 1922 the Tourist Department was the local authority in Rotorua. The total annual income for expenditure on the town was about £3OOO, derived from the Crown rents of the leaseholds and half of the bath fees. This amount was hopelessly inadequate, and tlio town was going from bad to worse. The roads were impossible. Rotorua Amusement Rate.

"The townspeople took over control, and since then £40,000 has been spent in the town in laying down bitumen roads and in metalling secondary roads. Instead of a revenue of £3OOO a year the Borough Council has a revenue of about £BOOO. By a special provision in the Rotorua Borough Act every ratepayer pays an advertising and amusement rate, and several hundreds of pounds are yearly spent in advertising the town, and providing amusement for visiting tourists.

"Everv special train sent to Rotorua by the Railway Department is met by members of thcßorough Publicity Committee, and transport to the various sites is arranged. A motorists' camping site, second to none in the Dominion, is provided for visiting motorists, and as many as 400 cars have been there on one even-

"The Highways Board completed in June last a first-class all-weather motor road through the Mamaku Bush to Auckland. Over £55.000 was spend in the last few vcars in formation work on this road. In order to have it metalled for last winter the residents of Rotorua subscribed £IOOO by individual subscriptions, the Borough Council put in £'*oo, and the Highwajs Board over £4OOO, and over 24 »orries worked night and day up to 12 o'clock at night all through last winter. Travellers would pass the lighted flares on the road, as ihese lorries worked in double shifts. Graders aro continuously at work and the roads have been improved out of all recognition. Diversity of Attractions. " Rotorua town itself provides excellent amusement. There arethe golf links, the tennis courts, the bowling greens, the baths, native concerts every night, and a number of attractive trips. ' Whakarewarewa may lie open to strong adverse criticism, and so may the old Government bath-house, but certainly not the new one. Mr. Hockly, tlie late member for the district, sat on the doorstep of the late Minister of Tourist Resorts until he wore out the doormat in an endeavour to get these matters attended to, but Mr. Nosworthv did not appear to l>e interested. Money has been on tiie Estimates for years but nothing has been done. "The townspeople rate themselves to advertise the district and assist in the entertainment of visitors, and ihey have put their hands in their pockets to help provide the roads. Now it is for the Government to cart the metal to complete the highway, and to put Whakarewarewa in order.

"Rotorua district is not only a tourist resort. It exports over £90.000 worth of butter-fat a year. It any visitor thinks Rotorua is a dead letter or among the dying, then lie must, he on tho road to join the ranks of the blind."