QUEENSTOWN

Southland Times, Issue 19393, 6 November 1924, Page 5

QUEENSTOWN

WEEK-END EXCURSIONS TO BE RESUMED GENERAL MANAGER’S DECISION. (From our Correspondent) The British Railway Commissioners, Sir Sam Fay and Sir Vincent Raven, accompanied by Mr R. W. McVilly, Genera! Manager of the New Zealand Railways, and other administrative officers, visited Queenstown during the week. They also went to the Head of the Lake, and some members of the party even went to Paradise. They left for Pembroke on Sunday afternoon. When such distinguished gentlemen visit our district, more opportunity should be given them to see some of its attractions. They certainly went away with a good impression of what they saw, and found comparative recreation after the monotony of railway travelling. r During the visit, Mr McVilly was 6 waited on by His Worship the Mayor (Mr A. Simson) and some of the local Councillors in reference to the re-introduction of weekend excursions. Mr McVilly was in good mood, and was at length able to give a definite assurance that the week-ends from Dunedin and Invercargill would commence again. In fact, he said that they would start on the Southland section almost immediately, and from Dunedin end after the Xmas and New Year holidays. The General Manager was asked whether he could see his way to run a special week-end excursion from Invercargill and Dunedin in connection with the formal opening ceremonies for the firing of the first shot at the Kawarau dam site. Mr McVilly said at once that he would recommend the Department to grant this, and the availability of tickets will be from Friday, November 21, to Wednesday, November 26. The Departmental head has also promised to give some concessions in railway fares should a bowling tournament be held in Queenstown during the season. He said that he would be satisfied if they could only guarantee 50 fares. He also suggested concerted action on the part of other sports bodies, so that some incentive might be given cricket and tennis clubs to send teams to Queenstown. Sufficient encouragement has at any rate been given to go ahead with the arrangement of a programme of events during the tourist season. Mr McVilly was also asked if the Department could see its way to provide a ladies’ waiting room at the wharf. The necessity for this has been greatly emphasised during the off-season, when outgoing passengers often have to wait about in the cold weather. He said he would look into the matter and report later. Another question brought before Mr McVilly was the utilisation of the iron standards erected through the Park for navigation purposes to carry electric lines in connection with a lighting system in the Park. Mr McVilly said that he was not in a position to say what the Tourist Department proposed doing, but suggested that the Town Council might see its way to supply the electrical energy free of charge, and probably the Tourist Department would bear the cost of material required.