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1904. NEW ZEALAND.

TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS REPORT. (23rd August, 1904.) BY THE MINISTER OF TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS, HON. SIR J. G. WARD, K.C.M.G.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, My Lord,— Wellington, 16th August, 1904. I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts for the year ending the 3lst March, 1904. I have the honour to be, Your Lordship's most obedient servant, J. G. Ward, Minister of Tourist and Health Resorts. His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand.

The year under review shows a considerable increase in the tourist traffic. To the colony generally, and to each particular pleasure or health resort, the number of visitors has greatly exceeded that of any previous year. In the height of the season the hotels and accommodationhouses at every resort were taxed to their utmost capacities, and I regret to have to report that in some cases the accommodation provided signally failed to meet requirements. This has been particularly noticeable on some of the long coaching-routes. In a number of cases the proprietors are adding materially to their premises, but the improvements are proceeding all too slowly to meet the rapidly increasing volume of traffic. On the whole, lam pleased to state that hotel accommodation and catering throughout the colony have been well maintained, and, considering the volume of traffic, the complaints received from visitors have been few indeed. The greatest increase of visitors recorded is to Rotorua, to which place the railway passengers for the year numbered 16,956, as against 10,891 for the previous year. The popularity of this resort grows very rapidly. Notwithstanding the fact that the results have been so satisfactory, I am of opinion that much better would have eventuated had it not been for the unfortunate small-pox scare at Christchurch in February last. It is safe to say that hundreds of visitors were lost to the colony on that account, more especially from Australia. An attempt has this year been made to obtain data on which to base an estimate of the value of the oversea tourist traffic to the colony. The Department has recorded the names of 5,233 visitors, coming from the following countries : — Australia ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,726 United Kingdom ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,795 United States and Canada ... ... ... ... ... 417 European Continent ... ... ... ... ... ... 102 Africa ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 India ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61 Other countries ... ... ... ... ... .. ... 68 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5,233 These figures cannot be regarded as complete, as many persons visit the colony who do not come into direct contact with the Department. It is therefore certain that the total number of visitors has not been recorded. However, taking these figures as a basis, and estimating the expenditure I—H. 2,