HEALTH AND TOURIST RESORTS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 2

HEALTH AND TOURIST RESORTS

OVERSEA VISITORS INCREASE FROM ALL COUNTRIES. The Tourist and Health Resorts Department’s report, laid before Parliament, oil the 25th ult. by Sir Joseph Ward, show's that in the yean under review the phenomenal increases, in the oversea traffic for the year 1903-4 over the previous year has been well maintained. There has been an increase . from all countries from which our visitors have hitherto been r drawn, the increase recorded being as follows: : —Australia, 166; United Kingdom, 230; United States and Canada, 146; other countries, 217: -or . a total of 759. The smallness of the increase in the traffic from Australia is no doubt due to the frequently cabled reports concerning the unsettled climatic conditions prevailing in New Zealand during the first half of the season. Many visitors from the CommomA 7 ealth have stated that owing to these reports quite a considerable number of Australians either postponed or abandoned their proposed tours of this colony. The A r ery encouraging increase, in the traffic from the United State©, Canada, and Great Britain .may be attributed in a very large measure in tlie former case to the St. Louis Exhibition and the advertising in connection therewith, and in tlie latter case to the very much more extensii r e achrertising of the colony’s attractions in the Homeland than hitherto, just prior to opening of last season. r l he numbers of oversea visitors from 'tlie several countries recorded for the past two years are as follows: — 1903-4. 1904-5. Australia 2,726 2,892" United Kingdom ... 1,795 2,025 United States and Canada 417 563 European. Continent ... 102 146 Africa 64 Jl3 India 61 86 Utlier countries- ... 68 167 5,233 5.992 ! 1 H*se figures cannot be regarded as complete. Quite a, large number of visitors have probably escaped being re-

corded. They, however, provide good evidence of the value and the rate of increase of the traffic. Estimating the amount of capital at £-50 expended by each visitor, the figures of 1903-4 gave the value of tlie traffic in round numbers as £261,000. Estimating the expenditure on the same basis for the year 1904-5 the value of- the traffic is shown to be £299,000, an increase of £38.000 for the year. . The direct receipts of the department amounted to £16,018 3s Id, showing an increase of £673 14s 2d over the previous year. Taking into consideration the loss of local traffic caused by unseasonable climatic conditions, and tlie stoppage of Waimangu ? which, in itself caused a shrinkage estimated at upwards of £ISOO, the financial result for the year may be regarded as very factoryThe gross arrivals and departures for the . year ending the 7 31st December, 1904, were 54,909, as against 50,491 for 1903, showing the increase in moving traffic of 4418. During the four years, the department has been in operation the increase in population by arrivals over 'departures has been greatly in excess of any previously recorded. From 1901 to 1904 the gain to the colony by this 'means has been 36,144. On the whole, the influx has been of a class bringing means, and. likely to make excellent citizens. The question of extending the influence of the department by opening agencies in Sydney . and Melbourne has been under consideration, but no definite action has yet been decided upon. The reduction of the rate for the transmission by post of newspapers has had the anticipated result of causing many additional thousands of the weekly illustrated newspapers, which are now produced in such'an artistic manner, to be sent abroad, thus vastly increasing the knowledge of the colony’s progress and attractions in other lands. The best results may be expected from the enlarged circulation of such valuable advertising media. Comprehensive exhibits were, during the year, sent to the Crystal Palace, London, with a large quantity of literature for distribution. A large number of pamphlets and books were also distributed at the Liverpool Produce Exhibition. Recognising the value'of sport to the colony, and the advisability of stocking with suitable animals our large areas of waste lands, consisting chiefly ,of mountain-tops, the department lias during the year given considerable attention to the introduction of suitable animals and birds for sport purposes. The thar and Japanese deer presented by the Duke of Bedford were liberated on the Southern Alps and the Kaimanawa Ranges respectively. A further consignment of twenty wapiti, twenty-four Virginian deer, and five blackball deer, and 119. birds (chiefly water-fowl) was procured from America and distributed among acclimatisation societies throughout the colony. • These animals and birds in the future should add materially to the value of . our sporting attractions.