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Mr. H. J. Manson (Melbourne Agenty in his report states : — " I have the honour to submit herewith my anunal report for the year ending 31st March, 1927. " A gratifying feature of the year's work has been the number of excellent opportunities provided for advertising the Dominion's numerous attractions. First and foremost was the 3LO Wireless Broadcasting Company's ' most popular girl ' competition, which extended over a period of three months. With a view to increasing the number of their subscribers and of popularizing their service the company launched a campaign to find the most perfect girl in Australia, the winner of which, including other gifts, was to be given a six-week's tour of New Zealand and £100. Our co-operation was sought, and needless to say that we entered wholeheartedly into the project. We prepared the itinerary for the trip, and supplied suitable photographs to illustrate the booklet in. which it was published. Some ten thousand or more of these were issued and distributed throughout the country. This, together with the frequent references to the trip over the wireless, gave us a magnificent advertisement, the value of which it would be difficult to estimate. " The 3AR Wireless Company also afforded an excellent opportunity of advertising New Zealand. We had a coupie of hours' free use of the wires in which to broadcast a specially arranged programme composed of New Zealand items such as speeches, songs, hakas, and instrumental selections. " Dr. G. Phillpotts, the well-known dietarian, delivered an address on Maori food, and my own contribution was a talk on the Maori himself. The entertainment proved both novel and successful, and many complimentary references were made thereto. The published accounts of Zane Grey's thrilling experiences among the swordfish in the Bay of Islands created intense interest here, and were responsible for many inquiries regarding the sport. A number of prominent men in Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia, including Sir Thomas Bridges, Governor of the latter State, to whom we supplied information, visited the Dominion for the purpose of testing their skill at the game, and it has been pleasing to note that most of them have been highly successful, in their quest, particularly in the case of His Excellency, whose catches were duly chronicled in the press here. The increased popularity of this fascinating sport, and the great prominence given it of late, will undoubtedly be an additional incentive to sportsmen from all over the world to visit New Zealand. Not only that, it will, play no insignificant part in the Department's future work in making known the Dominion's manifold attractions. " Advantage was also taken of the ducal visit to New Zealand to get as much publicity as possible, and arrangements were made with the Evening Herald and the Morning Sun to reproduce photographs supplied by us illustrating their movements from day to day, and the route they were traversing, giving prominence to our resorts difficult to gain in any other way. In a lesser degree the New Zealand Rugby footballers, and the oarsmen competing in the Melbourne Henley Regatta, kept Dominion affairs in the front, as did also the reception given by myself in these offices to celebrate Dominion Day, when many prominent officials and representative citizens called to pay their respects to the Dominion. " The holding of the Medical Conference at Dunedin provided another opening for action on our part, and everything was done to get as many as possible of the practitioners to attend the fixture. Immediately it was made known that a Conference was to be held we sent them illustrated literature of our tourist resorts, and circularized them, offering every assistance on our part should they decide to make the trip. Our proferred help was well received, and quite a number availed themselves of our services. Those who actually took the trip numbered over sixty ; and though they were disappointed at not being able to land at Milford Sound, through some misunderstanding, to do the overland walk to Glade House, I think they were on the whole more than pleased with the generous treatment accorded to them during their sojourn in the Dominion. All this publicity has increased the work of these offices, and. myself and staff have had to exert out best efforts to keep abreast with it. It has been a delight, however, to serve the Dominion and to keep its flag flying. " A most pleasing and gratifying feature connected with our tourist work this year has been the unusually large number of people for whom we prepared itineraries, who have called at the offices after their return from the Dominion to express their appreciation for what was done for them at this end and in New Zealand. One and all have been loud in their praise of the treatment accorded them. Eulogistic references have also been made regarding the Department's organization, and for courtesy —as one gentleman expressed it, ' right from the boy in the street to the highest official in the land,, nothing better could be found anywhere.' " The distribution of illustrated literature provided by the Publicity and our own Department,, and the display of enlarged photographs in the leading hotels in this State and South Australia, have provided most helpful means of attracting attention to our scenic wonders, 150 in number having been distributed, at a cost of over £100. These will be a fitting and permanent reminded of the beauties of the Dominion. The moving pictures depicting our general resources exhibited by the film companies on behalf of the Publicity Department have also created interest in New Zealand as a tourist country. Besides this, lantern-slides have been put to a good use by lecturers in different centres, as the following extract from a letter from Mr. Wilkie, of Ballarat, will show : ' The magnificent pictures shown on your slides delighted a large audience on Tuesday last, and several of tis have registered a mental vow to see your beauty-spots for ourselves.' " The appointment of Mr. Victor Ryan, Director of the Intelligence and Tourist Bureau of South Australia, as our Honorary Agent in Adelaide, to fill the place of the late Mr. Duncan Lawes,. will, lam sure, prove a move in the right direction. Mr. Ryan is an outstanding officer in the South Australian Government Service, being extremely popular, an enthusiastic worker, and at the same time a keen advocate for the co-operation of tourist interests. The facilities he has at his disposal such as central offices and a branch at the shipping port, will enable him to render most valuable assistance to New Zealand. J).„_ .El

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