TIRED TOURISTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19504, 3 February 1926, Page 2

TIRED TOURISTS

SIDE-TRACKING OF WANGANUI CONTINUES EARLY RISING PROBLEM. SOLUTION SOUGHT. The fact that tourists frequently side-track making visits to the city is a bone of contention with the Wanganui public, and has previously been the cause of a good deal of comment. The matter was again ventilated at Monday night’s meeting of the Chamber of Commerce by Mr W. Brown. It would appear that all efforts to remedy the position have proved abortive. Mr Brown said he was astounded at the number of tourists who left the river steamers at Aramoho, and proceeded directly to the station. Possibly they had not got to the bottom of the solution of preventing this practice. It had just been brought under his notice that a party of American tourists were coming down the river as far as Pipiriki, and then branching off to Ohakune. “It is a matter that we will have to watch very carefully/’ he added. U I had an idea that Wellington might help us, hut they don’t care a ‘dump’ because the tourists go there just the same. We will have to do something to turn this stream of tourists to Wanganui.” He further explained that Mr Wheeler was conducting the party of Americans, thirty-two in number, and he intended to inquire from him the reason for taking the party past Wanganui. The last party from the States had l<*en delighted with everything they saw in the city—he had had similar expressions of opinion from the party since. He did not know on what lines they might work to improve the situation, but possibly they might do so through the Government. It was possible that a Dominion tourist scheme would be inaugurated in Wellington, and that might give them an opportunity to do something tangible. If not they would have to fight their own fight. It would, no doubt, be. wise to | get in touch with the Auckland and Wellington Chambers of Commerce and the Publicity. Department in regard to the matter. They had to get Wanganui put on the map in some way or other. The chairman (Mr J. Coull): We have already endeavoured to do it. Mr Brown: •‘ln a way we have.” tHe explained that booklets had been distributed to the Cook’s Australian and American Tourist Departments. They had to show the tourists that there was something here to see, and the facilities of getting to and from the city. The secretary (Mr Hague Smith) remarked that the secret of the whole thing was that the river trip was too long. “The journey is absolutely too {long and the hour one has to get up is ridiculous for tired tourists.” The chairman: The left bank river road is the solution. Mr Brown agreed, but pointed out that it would be a considerable time before this would be completed. Efforts were being made from the Taumarunui end to shorten the journey by a motor trip over the upper reaches. Mr John Morrison did not think i there was anything to be gained by making a road from Taumarunui to the Houseboat. The tourists would come across country from Raurimu, in his opinion. Tourists, he found when in Dunedin, were ignorant of the attractions of Wanganui and were surprised when he distributed booklets amongst them. The chairman: It is certainly lack of enterprise on the part of Wanganui people. Mr Brown: I would hardly say that! Air H. Rice: We have been at it for years. The chairman said that what he meant was that it showed lack of enterprise on the part of those who had something to offer. A distinguished visitor had declared that Wanganui had the finest hotel in the Dominion. That should be made known widespread. I Mr Willis stated that unless the information was before the tourists at the time the itinerary for their journey was made the task was useless. There was not much chance of getting the itinerary altered when they got to New Zealand. It was eventually decided that Air Brown make inquiries from Mr "Wheeler why Wanganui had been side-tracked, and the secretary was instructed to get into touch with the various tourist agencies in regard to advertising the attractions of Wanganui.