TOURIST RESORTS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143691, 12 January 1912, Page 2

TOURIST RESORTS.

AA’licn interviewed in Wellington a fotv days ago by a deputation from Ilnniner Springs, the North Canterbury health and tourist resort, the Hon. T. Mackenzie, who is Minister in charge of Tourist Resorts, gave utterance to an opinion about those places which will be freely endorsed by great numbers ot people. His experience, he said, was nothing would be permanently satisfactory. Even at Rotorua, where the Government has lavished expenditure, there is a great deal ot complaint, and in .Mr. Mackenzie’s opinion there will he this trouble so long as the Government manages it. Places like these will always be best managed by people who are personally interested. One does not need to visit many of these tourist resorts to heroine impressed with the eouvicliion that the Government spends money in many directions where private enterprise would not dream of doing so, and neglects other matters which should ho regarded as a first essential. A glaring instance of this unbusinesslike procedure on the part of the department is cited by a gentleman who has taken a good deal of interest in the question of tourist resorts and their management, ami who is in a position to give an opinion of some weight on the subject. This gentleman, in an interview with an Auckland Star representative, relates how a very fine accommodation house was built at AVaikaremoana and a steamer placed on the lake, while the means of access were neglected. The roads from AA’aiotapu and Napier are in such a condition that tourist traffic is almost impossible, and the large expenditure at tho lake is wasted for the time being. That is possibly an extreme case. At Haunter Springs the department carries on a large accommodation house, and also maintains a service of motor cars to convey tourists and “trippers” between the railway terminus at Cnlverdon and the Springs. But most of the visitors —we are writing from personal experience a few years back—prefer the private accommodation houses to that-run by the department, although tho latter is well enough conducted iu its way. At Rotorua the Government spent a huge sum—in the neighbourhood of £so,ooo—ou the Bath House, and further thousands in other directions, but the roads to and around Rotorua are

described as being in a deplorable condition ; an American tourist said the other day that the road to the resort from Auckland was the worst in the world. Tho average tourist must be able to travel quickly and conlfortably. Only a very small proportion will put up with discomfort, in reaching resorts, however excellent the accommodation when they arrive there or however charming the scenery and the climate. Was it Kingsley who wrote that tho finest scenery in the world was not worth seeing unless there was a comfortable hotel in the foreground ? He would have added to-day that a good motor road was also essential. We are inclined to think that the efforts of tho Government may he best devoted to providing facilities for reaching resorts, leaving it to private enterprise to cater for the traffic. Take Mount Egrnont for instance. AVith very modest assistance from the Government accommodation is being provided' on tho northern slope which, conducted as wo hope it will be, will meet the requirements of tourists of all classes, but some assistance is needed to maintain the road from New Plymouth, at any rate that portion from Egmont A r illage upwards which is controlled by a road board. It is too heavy a burden upon the local ratepayers to maintain several miles of road in a condition to carry the heavy traffic to and from the mountain. A’et unless the road is kept in good order the mountain will not attract visitors in anything like the numbers that would go up there under the best travelling conditions. If the policy that hold a few years ago had been carried out in regard to Mount Egmont tho Government would probably have another “white elephant” in the shape of an expensive bouse up there, costing the Dominion a large sum annually. Local enterprise has relieved the Government of the duty of establishing and carrying on a house, hut the maintenance of tho road is a more difficult matter to deal with. It is not a fair charge upon the ratepavers of the road district, and wo think that it is a case in which the Government might ask Parliament to make an annual grant to the local authority to assist in keeping the road in good order.