CORRESPONDENCE

Southland Times, Issue 19517, 17 May 1922, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

LAKE TE ANAU STEAMER. To the Editor. Sir, —In Saturday’s issue of your paper there appeared a report of a meeting of the Southland League, when the leasing of the Te Anau steamer to Mr Govan was discussed. The secretary, Mr Winsloe, stated that there were objections to this course from residents in the district. Now, sir, I should like to know who the parties were who objected, and what is their standing in the district, also their reasons for objecting? As a resident here for over fifteen years I have not known a better or more enterprising licensee at Te Anau Hostel than Mr Govan, and every resident and ratepayer to whom I have spoken on the subject has given it unqualified approval Mr Govan has shown himself a real live man and, to show his enterprise, joined in with the late mail contractor Mr Hazzlett and myself and erected a bridge across the Whitestone, which has been urgently needed for many years, and should have been done by the Public Works Department. The steamer in his hands should greatly enhance the pleasure of the trip to the Cold Lakes as he intends to make it available (he assures me) at a moderate rate to parties of tourists who wish to visit the beautiful fiord of Lake Te Anau. The steamer service on Lake Manapouri has been conducted privately for years, Mr Murrell having the lease of the steamer there and it has proved much more satisfactory than the State run one on. Te Anau, I am certain that now that Mr Govan has the Te Anau steamer, the service there will quite equal, if not surpass, the Manapouri service. I am,etc., H. F. BLATCH. Lumsden, May 15.