VISITORS TO EXHIBITION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18973, 26 March 1924, Page 2

VISITORS TO EXHIBITION

4000 FROM NEW ZEALAND. THE FINANCIAL ASPECT. It was anticipated that during the next few months there would bo a steady exodus of New Zealand residents proceeding overseas to attend the British Empire Exhibition, but so far there has been no exceptional demand for steamer berths. It is stated that at preserit the passenger Steamers sailing from New Zealand and Australia for Britain are not unusually crowded. It is estimated, however, that about 4000 people will leave or have left the Dominion for the Exhibition and of this number approximately 1200 are Aucklanders, 130 of the latter having sailed by the Ormuz, which left Sydney for London on March 12. Messrs Thomas Cook and Sons report that they have experienced less trouble this year in obtaining berths than in previous years and that there is still room available on homeward-bound steamers. An interesting fact is that while no extra steamers have been put on to cope with the traffic some of the vessels have had their passenger accommodation enlarged. Just what this overseas migration of New Zealanders will mean to the Dominion cannot be definitely stated, but it has been variously estimated that each qtthe -4000 tourists will spend betweei»B3so and £5OO while abroad. Taking* these figures as a basis, it is apparent that in addition to the sums expended on steamer fares, the Dominion will be deprived of anything from £1,400,000 to £2,000,000 in ready cash.