TARANAKI EXCLUDED

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1934, Page 17 (Supplement)

TARANAKI EXCLUDED

STRATHAIRD PASSENGERS’ TOUR.

SHORT ITINERARIES BENEFICIAL.

That short tourist itineraries such as those arranged for passengers on the liner Strathaird, which arrived at Auckland yesterday from Brisbane on a threeday visit to the Dominion, were of inestimable value to the Dominion as a means of advertising, was the opinion expressed by Mr. D. T. McPherson, passenger representative of the P. and O. Line, who visited New Plymouth yesterday in the course of a Dominion tour in connection with the shore excursions of passengers on the Strathaird and Strathnaver. Taranaki is not included in the itinerary. “The time at their disposal is too short for the tourists on our ships to see the whole of New Zealand, but they do get a flavour of New Zealand and later many return to the Dominion on extensive tours,” said Mr. McPherson. He stressed the fact that such tours were beneficial to the Dominion as a whole. Of the present 850 passengers, only 300 had signified their intention of availing themselves of the organised itineraries, thus there were 500 people who would spend the three days in many parts of the North Island, eventually arriving at Wellington to sail for Australia on Monday evening. It was expected that 1100 passengers would be aboard the Strathnaver when she arrived in Dominion waters about Christmas time, said Mr. McPherson, who was accompanied by Mr. W. W. Service, Australian passenger superintendent. The present itineraries included a three-day overland tour, including a day at the thermal districts at Rotorua, a night at the Chateau and trips around the scenic spots of Auckland and Wellington. Two hundred tourists had intimated that they wished to participate in the three-day excursion, while 100 were to visit the Waitomo Caves. The remainder have organised their own transport and are visiting a large number of North Island districts. The trips were organised by the company to prevent the ships lying idle at Brisbane for a fortnight between their arrival and scheduled time of departure _ for England with passengers and mails. Many of the present passengers came from Western Australia and had the advantage of a five weeks’ excursion, he said. Australian and New Zealand agents were very optimistic for the future, and it appeared that the homeward passenger traffic, influenced by the King’s Jubilee, would be considerably greater next year. There was a decidedly more optimistic tone in English shipping circles. He could not say to what extent new vessels were being built for the Dominion trade, but increased building activities were very evident. His company had no extensive building programme at present, although it hoped to launch the new 24,500-ton Strathmore in October, 1935. It was unlikely that this vessel would be placed on the Australian service.

The Strathaird and Strathnaver were bound by mail contracts and could not devote longer periods to New Zealand. While in port at Auckland and Wellington the vessels, the largest passenger ships to visit New Zealand, would be thrown open to the public and a small charge made on behalf of charity.