WELLINGTON NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15658, 10 January 1913, Page 2

WELLINGTON NOTES

(Fhoh Oun Own CoBHEsroNDENT.) WELLINGTON, January 9. Mr Charles Alfred Ewen and Mr Alexander Hornsbui'gh Turnbull have been appointed members of the Board of Governors of the New Zealand Institute. Mr Rhodes says tho tourist traffic this year will be very satisfactory. The department's through booking scheme is growing in popularity as its advantages become known, and the value of the tours booked this holiday season shows an increase over that of last year by £1986, in spite of the fact that this, year the period over which the return has been taken was two days shorter than that of last year. The actual figures are:—December 16 to 31, 1911, £3845; December 18 to 31,1912. £5830. . " This is one of the cheapest places in the world to live in," said a New Zcalfinder who has just returned from a.trip to England to a Post reporter. He was comparing the cost of living at Home with the cost of living in New Zealand, and he spoke in the light of actual experience. " For instance," he said, " a fish lunch that you pay Is and 6d for here would cost you 5s in England, and when I was there last summer salmon had gone up to 3s 6d a lb." Other charges were in proportion, and money simply melted away. Another returned traveller had nothing, bnt praise for New Zealand, from which he had been absent for 12 months. He referred particularly to its scenery. The Englishman had to travel to the Continent for mountain and river scenery which the New Zealander had in abundance and equal beauty at his own back door. The only difference is that on the Continent the comfort and convenience of the tripper is catered for on a much more extensive scale, but he considers that when the dominion's scenery attractions are more completely developed by road and rail it will be the first scenery and mountaineering resort in the world.