VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1934, Page 7

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

VIEWS 01? CURRENT TOPICS TOURISTS FOR TARANAKI. NEED FOR CONCENTRATION. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l was interested to read in your issue of to-day your comments on the lack' of tourist traffic coming to Taranaki, and your endeavour to interest the people of the province in this important matter. To my mind Taranaki must concentrate on providing something that is. both striking and unique. To draw overseas tourists in large numbers we must give them something that they cannot get anywhere else, and something they will remember. Can we honestly claim to do this at the present time? Pukekura Park and Tangarakau Gorge are all right in their way, but they are not sufficient. Rotorua, for instance, is something unique; so is Waitomo. Mount Egmont—at any rate in its present stage of development—is not different enough from. Chateau Tongariro. Certainly it has prettier approaches and better panoramas, but the accommodation is much inferior. Yet it seems that in Mount Egmont we must pin our faith. How to “dress” it in an intriguing manner is the problem. While three individual committees each strive with limited means to make a rather unsatisfactory best out of their individual resorts we will never get much further, and I suggest that every effort should be concentrated on one strategical point. What can we provide in connection with Mount Egmont that no other district has and which will be a definite “draw”? I suggest that the obvious answer is the Plateau Road on the Stratford side. “Highway. in the Clouds!”. Why not make this the slogan, and make it a highway worth coming round the world to see. Stratford House occupies a fairly central position,' with walks to Dawson Falls and North Egmont. It is near the best ski-ing ground on the mountairi, and is the starting point of a good route to the top. Its approach by. a two-way road is very pretty. To carry my scheme into effect would cost much money. A first-class hostel would have to be built, and tennis courts and other amenities provided. But the result would be a far greater attraction than Chateau Tongariro. I am not a resident of the Stratford district, so this is not a parochial opinion. I earnestly believe that something of the nature suggested must be done if overseas tourists are to be attracted, and I have put forward what I think is the best solution in the hope that it may be the basis of further discussion.—l. am, etc.. TARANAKI AN. New Plymouth, Nov. 27. LONDON DAIRY SHOW PLACINGS. (To the Editor.) Sir,—Mr. Hunt states that I have made an incorrect statement regarding the results of the London Dairy Show. In my last letter I stated that Westmere cheese was defeated by several South Island factories. I therefore forward the results in order to prove my statement to be correct. Thombury Co-operative, Invercargill, came first; Downs Co-operative, Lilyvale, second; Pahia Co-operative Otago, third; Fairfax Co-operative, Otago, reserve; Otamita Co-operative, Otago, very highly commended; Wright’s Bush Co-operative, Otago, highly commended; Wyndham Co-operative, Otago, highly commended; Westmere Co-operative, Wanganui, commended.—l am, etc., \ B. S. COUPE. Te Kiri, 'Nov. 26. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “Z.K.-E.C.0.,” Eitham: Letters are not accepted for publication unless the writer’s name and address are enclosed.