THE TOURIST TRAFFIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22779, 15 January 1936, Page 4

THE TOURIST TRAFFIC

TO THE EDITOR Sir, — A recent correspondent complained that insufficient attention is paid to the charms of the South Island when visitors are being recommended where to tour in ISew Zealand, and that the South Island resorts are not patronised as they should be. If we leave out overseas visitors in the meantime, there are thousands of North Island people who would gladly

motor through the South Island if it were not for the excessive freight charges for shipping a car across the water to Blenheim or Lyttelton. I believe the cost of freighting a motor car to Lyttelton from Wellington and vice versa is £4 10s, and many North Island people can do a good motoring trip through the North Island for that amount of money, so that the preliminary expense of a South Island rour is as much as, or more than, the cost of the whole tour in the North Island.

If the people of the South Island would start a movement to have this heavy expense very considerably reduced, I am sure thousands of North Island people would gladly visit the South Island. There are many ships laid up, and surely it should not be difficult to put on a steamer twice or three times a week in the summer months to cater for the transport of cars between, say, Lyttelton and Wellington. Until something is done to reduce very definitely the freight on cars, no serious influx of motorists from either island will take place. It is essential for New Zealanders to know New Zealand at least, and it is this high freight charge which is stopping them. Surely something can be done before the Easter holidays. I was sorry to see your correspondent refer to Rotorua as a “stinkpot.” It is certainly a little sulphurous at times, but some of the greatest world tourists who have visited Rotorua consider it one of the greatest tourist places of the world, and undoubtedly it is. We should remember that it is in New Zealand and the fact that your correspondent is far away from it is no reason to call out “ stinking fish ” to try and help the traffic to the southern lakes. Make the charges reasonable to get down to the South Island and you will have won for the great southern lakes the patronage they deserve. —I am, etc., Equity. Wellington.