TOURISTS’ PARADISE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20222, 5 February 1934, Page 5

TOURISTS’ PARADISE.

Consul-General’s View of New Zealand. A MOTORING HOLIDAY. New Zealand is a tourists' paradise in the opinion of Dr A. Asmis, German Consul-General for Australia, New Zealand and Samoa, who returned to Christchurch last evening after a fortnight’s holiday in the southern lakes district. He considers that the scenic attractions of both the North and South Islands, the good roads, and the standard of the hotel accomodation combine to make the country ideal for visitors who wish to spend a motorin c holidav. Dr Asmis has visited Waitomo Caves and the Tongariro National Park already during his stay in New Zealand. and with his wife and familv he left Christchurch on January 26 in his own car to see something of the beauties of the South Island. The only bad weather encountered during the trip was on the way to Mount Cook, the heavy rain flooding the road in places, and making the going rather difficult. During their stay at the Hermitage, Dr and Mrs Asmis motored to the Ball Hut. and made trips to the I lochstetter and Ball Glaciers. Dr Asmis was particularly impressed with the Hochstetter ice caves. The party experienced wonderful weather during the rest of the trip. They visited Pembroke. Queenstown Kingston, Lakes Manapouri and Wanaka, Gore and Dunedin. On the way back to Christchurch, they stopped for a while at Waimate. Dr Asmis stated last evening that the roads were good all the way. He was very much impressed with the way the various automobile associations had erected signs and indicators for the

j guidance of motorists, and said that with the help of these he found the trip an easy one. There were plenty of service stations wherever he went, and he was never in danger of running out of petrol in an isolated spot. The hotels generally were very good, and everyone had been friendly. Dr. Asmis said he had been asked before to comment upon the respective merits of the North and South Islands as far as scenic attractions were concerned. He thought that they were both very fine. The North Island had

the Waitomo Caves and the Tongariro National Park, while the South Island possessed the Southern Alps, and the beautiful southern lakes. Dr Asmis intends to see a lot more of New Zealand as a motorist before he returns to Sydney. Ilis future plans include a trip to the Franz Josef Glacier. From there he will go to Hokitika. Westport and Nelson, where he will have his car shipped across to Wellington Then he will motor through the North Island via Wanganui and New Plymouth, arriving at Auckland in time to catch the Monterey, which leaves for Sydney on February 23.