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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19182, 27 May 1924, Page 6

TOURIST TRAFFIC. It is a reassuring circumstance that, in the course of an interesting address at the opening of the Southland Whiter Show last week, the Minister of Labour alluded to the desirability of advertising the attractions of New Zealand, with a view to drawing a regular stream ot leisured and well-to-do visitors from other lands. The backwardness of Government enterprise in this respect has been matter of critical comment in the past; and, to put it very mildly, ,the?e is nothing premature in Mr Anderson's announcement that he is " having films prepared to show the farming life, industries, and scenic resorts of the country, which would be shown at the Wembley Exhibition, and sent to other parts of Britain and to America." These preparations might have been made at an earlier date; but better late than never, and New Zealand is not inadequately represented at Wembley. England, however, is not the only country in which knowledge of this dominion requires to be spread. Tourists come—and, properly encouraged, might come in larger numbers —from many lands; and in this connectien we would specially direct attention to Mr Anderson's remarks on the subject of accommodation. The subject has a general bearing, as indicated by the Minister in his suggestion that " with regard to attracting tourists to the dominion the people themselves could help by providing improved accommodation for people who came prepared to pay for the right kind." It also has a special bearing in connection with the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, to the directors of which the problem of accommodation is causing a good deal of anxiety. The proprietors of hotels and boarding-houses do not display excessive enterprise in enlarging and improving their premises. A development of private initiative, as apparently recommended by the Minister at Invcrcargill, might be very helpful, as regards both the general and the special necessity. There must, we imagine, be many private householders, both in town and country, who have spare rooms and provision for entertainment which they would be glad to place at the disposal of visitors, on reasonable and yet profitable terms. We are not in love with the phrase " paying guests," which has a contradictory and shoddy flavour; but, after all, it points to the idea which we are seeking to emphasise. Anyhow, there is no use in lauding and advertising the attractions and amenities of New Zealand unless we can offer .prospective visitors a fair assurance of securing ample and comfortable accommodation, not luxurious, but in reasonable conformity with their customary ways of living. The subject is not of trivial import. It has a direct bearing upon the reputation and prosperity of the dominion.