QUEENSTOWN NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 19457, 22 January 1925, Page 6

QUEENSTOWN NOTES

PARAGRAPHS OF INTEREST. (From our Correspondent.) The weather continues very dry, and there api>ears little prospect of rain. Several of the roads in the Lake County are beginning to crumble as the result of the heavy motor traffic, so it is stated by those who are using them. Owing to the dry weather and the hot sun several of the crops are suffering, and it is feared that the yield will be affected thereby. In the less affected parts, however, there is the promise of splendid returns. Field peas come under this category. The peas are said to be podding and ripening well wherever they are grown. MOTOR TRAFFIC. There has been great competition in the motor traffic business this season. Since the Mt. Cook Motor Coy and Wanaka Motors, Ltd. took up the mail contract at the beginning of the month, the old contractors, Messrs Anderson and McLaren, have continued on the road, and are doing a steady passenger business. Price-cutting has, moreover, been going on in the fares for some of the longer trips, and the travelling public and visitors are deriving the benefit. The round trip, Queenstown-Crom-well-Wanaka and return via the Crown range and Arthur Point cost £3 per head last season—a somewhat prohibitive price. It has now been reduced to £l, which almost appears too low to allow of any profit. This price has now been adopted by all the local motor-car proprietaries. Consequently this round trip has been the most, popular of all the one-day outings from Queenstown. It is unquestionably the cheapest, and at the same time gives the visitor excellent value for his money. Visitors to Queenstown ore, moreover, now able to include Wanaka in their itinerary for little extra expenditure. I understand that some of the motor proprietors are quite satisfied with the profit they are making out of the trip. The fare to Cromwell has come down correspondingly. . FISHING. An angler who visited us during the holiday time met with good success in some of our streams. The Kawarau between the Frankton Falls and the entry of the Shotover into the Kawarau is always known as a good fishing stream, and this was amply proved by this angler, who hooked 14 fairsized brown trout one evening, averaging 3llbs. The fish were in splendid condition. STEAMER SERVICE. The Lake Wakatipu steamer service has, this season, shown a good deal more enterprise than usual in catering for the tourist and holiday visitors. Cheap trips are being run every Monday to Elfin Bay and Glenorchy, and these are being well patronised. The Earnslaw has run moonlight trips on Thursdays during the last three weeks. The Queenstown Brass Band usually accompanies the steamer, and this factor has been the means of inducing many to do the trip, and has at the same time made the trips profitable to the Department. An experiment is now being made with a cheap afternoon trip to Bob’s Cove, one of the most popular half-day journeys on the Lakeside. It is hardly likely, however, that these will meet with any degree of success, as the local launches have met a popular demand for this excursion for some years past, and the majority of visitors prefer the launches because they have provided a splendid and safe service. SALE OF PROPERTY. An important sale of a town property has just been effected in Queenstown. The store known as Van der Walde’s old store, in Ballarat street, has been purchased by the George W. Davies Tourist Depot. Mr W. J. Gardiner, or the Queenstown Tourist Agency, has occupied the premises for some time past, and has worked up a good connection with tourists, besides supplying cordials, sweets, fruit, etc. It is therefore unfortunate for Mr Gardiner that, he is not able-to retain the place. However, the Public Trustee, who has the disposing of the place, has probably sold it to the highest bidder. Mr Gardiner will no doubt set up in business elsewhere in the town, as his connection is too good to lose. Mr Davies, I understand, intends to turn the newly-ac-quired place into a dance room for the convenience of patrons and for small parties. PERSONAL MATTERS. Invercargill visitors to Queenstown include the following: Mr and Mrs R. Parker, Mr and Mrs Geo. Fraser, Dr Hogg, Mr Potter (Lands Department), Mr and Mrs T. Pryde and son, Mr R. Thomson, Mr and Mrs Isaac Jenkins and Misses Peggy Jenkins and Ret a Geddes, Mr and Mrs Ruff ell and family. Mr and Mrs Boyne and Miss Boyne (Gore) have been on an extended visit to Queenstown. Mrs D. Thomson, a former resident of Invercargill, now of Feilding, has been on a visit to her brother, Mr Victor Scandrett. Mr Wm. Easton, Manager of the Otago Daily Times, and Mrs Easton and family, have been on a short visit to Queenstown,