TRAVEL OVERSEAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27039, 25 March 1949, Page 4

TRAVEL OVERSEAS

NOT ENOUGH BERTHS TOURIST FROM DUNEDIN It is estimated that 100 passengers leave Otago for overseas destinations, other than Australia and the Pacific Islands, every month. This estimate was given to the Daily Times yesterday by an official of a shipping company in Dunedin. Few of those passengers leave from Dunedin or Port Chalmers, as there are not manyoverseas vessels which make Dunedin their last port. If more berth accommodation were available, there would be nearly as many again making overseas trips. The majority of big passenger liners left from either Auckland or Wellington. with a smaller number making Lyttelton their last port, the official said. England was the most popular country and the majority of overseas, tourists went there. A stay in America involved the expenditure of dollars, or there would be more demand for berths to the United States and Canada. . Berths were not readily obtainable to any part of the world, but during the busy season, from February lo May, it was not possible to travel unless bookings had been made several months before. The extra demand during those months was accounted for by the number of people who wished to avoid the New Zealand winter, and spend their holiday in the northern summer. Fewer travellers wanted to spend their holiday abroad during the winter. The majority of passengers preferred to go to Britain via the Panama canal. Another shipping company official who was approached would not estimate the number of passengers who travelled overseas, but thought that 100 a month would be fairly correct. The keenest demand was for berths to the United Kingdom, he said, and it would be possible to fill twice as many as were offering. Before proceeding overseas, however, there were several arrangements to be made with Govenment departments. A taxation clearance had to be obtained, and no more than £ls in New Zealand currency could be taken on board the vessel. Any extra money had to be remitted through a bank or by travellers’ cheques A passport had to be obtained from the De~artment of Internal Affairs before embarking. Passengers were allowed to take 501 b of food with them, the official continued, but the parcel could not contain more than 101 b of any one type.