TOURIST TRAFFIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1922, Page 4

TOURIST TRAFFIC.

NEW PLYMOUTH’S ATTRACTIONS. LACK OF ACCOMMODATION. SCHEME BROUGHT FORWARD. The prospect of a large influx of tourists to New Plymouth and the shortage of accommodation led Mr. T. C. List, the retiring chairman of the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League, to make some suggestions at the annual meeting of the League last night, for improving the situation. “I have intimated to you that New Plymouth ie going to have a big influx* ui tourists in the near future,” he said. “The numbers will increase, but we are not prepared for them, and I want everyone interested in the progress of New Plymouth to take up this matter of accommodation,” Mr. List added: —

“I don’t think it is possible for us to get outsiders to come in here and erect a building suitable for our requirements. We have to do it ourselves, and the business community must realise that it is one of the best investments for them. They should not look for immediate profits, but it would be a solid investment for the future.” Mr. List, continuing, said he would like an expression. of ouinion on the matter from the meeting, but they had to realise that thb progress of New Plymouth was going to be seriously retarded if they did not have sufficient suitable accommodation for visitors. Thia want had been felt in the past, and it was going to be particularly pressing in the next year or so. The accommodation at present available was inadequate. Under ■the present conditions they could not find room for the people who asKed to be taken here. It was a bad thing. The people who came to New Plymouth had money to spend, and every person who came would leave perhaps 30s or £2 per day, so that, if they had during the season a few thousand tourists more than they had at the present time, they could see what a gain it would mean to the town. No place offered the same attractions and the same interests as New Plymouth, while from the motorists’ point of view, there was no place so attractive as Taranaki, an attractiveness which would be enhanced when the road through to Te Kuiti was completed. Mr. List added: “I would say, ffs business men. that we should promulgate a scheme, to build a place like they have at Wanganui or at Timaru. which were not to be compared with New Plymouth from the point of view of the holiday-maker. The suggestion I have to make is that we should take up this thing, and endeavor to form a company in which every business man and others having interests in the town, should be asked to take up shares and see what they can do. We want a big place, and it‘will take some money.” There are some excellent sites, Mr. List added, and they might be able to get one from the Harbor Board His idea was that they should erect a hydro grand near the harbor. It might be said that this would be too far out, | but most of the people would come in cars, while they also had a tram service right out to the Breakwater. The beach, with its bathing facilities, would be quite handy, and they could erect a hydro grand with tennis courts and playing greens. It would be an excellent site, he thought, but that was not a question which should give them concern.

Mr. List concluded by hoping that the league would carry on the work, and that an effort would be made to provide accommodation for tourists. He thought that if an appeal were properly made to the town they would get the requisite, support, while he expressed the opinion that, if the project materialised it should work in with the Mountain House. There were great possibilities. That would appeal to Australians more than anything else. If they knew they could get to the mountain within an hour or so from the town it would mean a great thing to New Plymouth. (Applause).