TOURIST DEPARTMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18928, 31 July 1923, Page 5

TOURIST DEPARTMENT.

ANNUAL. REPORT. (From Otjb Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 30. The annual report of the Tourist Department was presented to Parliament today. The direct revenue shows a decrease of £IO,OOO, but there is a much larger decrease in expenditure, amounting to £27,000. The reports of the Taupo earthquakes kept many Australians from making a visit to New Zealand. The accounts were, it is stated, greatly magnified by the Australian press. The local tourist traffic was detrimentally affected by the general election, which took place during the busiest part of the season. A number of important tours were organised by and carried out by tbo bureau of the department. Visiting tennis and football teams, the American scientists, and others wore greatly pleased with the manner in which their varied tour was arranged. The head of the American party, Professor Nutting, stated that he knew of no other country in which the visitors were go well cared for in this respect. The trout fishing at Rotorua and Toupo was of a high standard, the fi.sh being heavy an. plentiful. Lake Tanpo and the Waikato and Waitahanui Rivers have yielded many hundreds of trout from Sib upwards to 101 b and 121 b fish are quite common, while quite a. number of 151 b. 161 b. and 171 b, and splendid fish weighing 19ilb have been caught.