QUEENSTOWN RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18456, 18 January 1922, Page 2

QUEENSTOWN RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

To THJj* IiUITOU. | Sm,—A good deal of publicity has been given to resolutions by the residents of vjiieeuetown —consisting mainly ox the hotclKeepers, boardingliouse, and shopkeepers of that town-condemning' me ilanway .Department tor deciding to curtail the running of a non-paying line, (along with other lines) alter February 1L - The question arises, is the Govormnent justnied in running any concern wfien me expenditure exceeds the revenue? I say no —no private concern would do so; it would so regulate its business as to make it a paying proposition, flow is this to be brougiU about m regard to Queenstown ' I l eay unHesitatmgiy mat the remedy lies in a great measure in the hands of the accommodation nouses and hotel Keepers of mo town themselves by their providing up-to-date accommodation at a reasonable tariff so as to enable tile workers of our cities to visit Queenstown in hundreds (instead ot a mere lavoured few, as at present) and spend their Holidays amid the glorious climatic and scenic surroundings, unequalled in any part of tne world. (statistics have shown mat the cost of living nas been very considerably reduced within tne past 12 months. lias the tariff j for beam or accommodation in Queens- | town been reduced correspondingly? Mo. It has gradually soared up for the past four* or live years out of all proportion to the increased cost of Jiving. During the Christmas season in 1918, I stayed at an hotel in Queenstown where the tariff was i’2 15s’per week. At the same hotel the charges were £4 4s per] week at Christmas, 1921, although the cost of living hae been reduced by 50 per cent. It would be interesting to note if ] any further increase is to be made, or any reduction to tako place for the Easter or future holidays. Thai many who would probably visit Queenstown ore prevented from doing so on account of the tariff charged there is evidenced by the railway returns during the Christmas holidays. The workers have had to tako advantage of a holiday nearer home. Thus the revenue of the railway service to Queenstown suffered and the service baa to bo “out down.’’ The whole community is asked to shoulder a deficit which might bo obviated. As one who has visited Queenstown for many years past, each year coming away more convinced than ever of its glorious mountain scenery and bracing climate. 1 have seen in its parks, bowling green, swimming -bathe, and the steamer Earn slaw indications of the money and energy spent by the Government in providing attractions for the tourist-from abroad and elsewhere to the Lakes district., which, as time goes : on must ever become more popular. j What are the proprietors of the accommo- ■ dation houses and business people of Queenstown doing in return! to the Government, which inado the town attractive, and for the workers of the cities? Passing condemnatory resolutions and holding meetings, when the remedy lies at their own door, in providing cheaper and better accommodation in return for, their present scale of charges. It certainly appears they arc killing the “proverbial goose that lays the golden egg,” and yet they ask the Railway Department to run a non-paying line every day in' the week up till Easter at least. I hope they will take the hint and reduce their tariff to something like prewar rates and so help themselves in this matter.— l am, etc.. Housewife.