15

H.—2

through, the total bookings reaching the large figure of £7,503 os. 10d., showing the substantial increase of £1,957 17s. Id. over the takings for last year. This large increase in our tourist business is particularly gratifying, as during the year the Sydney business people have continually complained of slackness of trade caused by dry seasons and strikes in various industries. Although our takings have been so satisfactory they do not represent half the people that we have given information to or on whose behalf tours have been mapped out. Experience shows that it is impossible to persuade more than about 50 per cent, of the people who call upon us for advice to purchase tickets. Credit, however, must be given to this office for these people visiting the Dominion. I attribute our success to the fact that our Department's booking system is becoming so well known, and is continually being so favourably commented upon. Quite recently a distinguished Australian who had visited the Dominion wrote to the Sydney Morning Herald eulogizing our Department's methods, and suggesting that they should be copied by the Tourist Department in New South Wales. Undoubtedly, the New Zealand Government's advertising campaign, and the appointment of an outside seller of tourist travel, has contributed towards our success. " Considerable comment has been raised in New Zealand regarding alleged favouritism of the North Island resorts by the Australian offices. As far as this office is concerned the allegation is completely refuted, as an analysis of our bookings has been made and conclusively proved that over 50 per cent, of our people travelled through both Islands of New Zealand. " At times during the year unfavourable comment has been made by some foreign tourists, wishing to visit the Dominion on our immigation regulations, principally when such tourists have had passports vised by British Consular offices. Some Australian tourists would have preferred to take their own motor-cars to the Dominion, but did not do so on account of duty having to be paid. In these cases unfavourable comment was raised, and disappointment expressed. " Permits to Foreigners for Temporary Residence in New Zealand. —The issuing of permits, on behalf of the Customs Department in New Zealand, to foreigners who wished to visit the Dominion for business, pleasure, or health was continued during the year as usual. Each applicant was carefully examined, and each passport was checked before certificates were signed. A total of 485 permits were issued ; and, although this work took up an amount of time it was cheerfully undertaken, because in many cases it led to tickets for travel and accommodation in the Dominion being sold to foreigners who probably would not have called at the offices had permits not been necessary. " Advertising.—During the year, especially the latter half, there was much activity as regards advertising the Dominion. The advertising campaign launched by our Government in Australia commenced, as far as New South Wales was concerned, about the middle of August, 1928, when contracts were entered into with the Sydney Morning Herald, the Evening News, the Daily Telegraph Pictorial, the Bidletin, and the Home Magazine, all published in Sydney, at a cost of about £650 : These contracts were all for six months. " Special features of the advertising campaign included a reception that was given at these offices on Dominion Day, when a representative gathering of the leading citizens of Sydney called and paid their respects. Another feature was a display of cinematograph-films of New Zealand at the Sydney Town Hall, when a large audience of invited guests were entertained by seeing excellent pictures of New Zealand scenery, sport, and scenes of Maori life. Still another feature of the campaign was the appointment by the Department of an outside representative for the purposes of stimulating the tourist traffic to the Dominion. " In September, 1928, the twenty-ninth International Eucharistic Congress was held in Sydney, and thousands of visitors came to Sydney to attend same. Opportunity was taken to circularize the delegates, calling their attention to New Zealand and the facilities offered by our Government to distribute information to inquirers. Arrangements were made to send special representatives with the delegates when they travelled to Brisbane. As a result of our efforts many of the delegates visited the Dominion before returning to their various homes. " During the year I made arrangements with the Orient Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., to show films of New Zealand scenery on their steamers travelling from England to Australia. Nineteen films were supplied to the company, and these are being shown as opportunity offers. " During the year the Empire Forestry Delegation, consisting of delegates from all parts of the British Empire, held a conference at Canberra F.T., and opportunity was taken to bring the Dominion under the notice of the delegates by sending to the Conference a large quantity of literature. The Dominion obtained quite a number of other advertisements, chief of which were by an exhibition of New Zealand pictures painted by the well-known artist Henry Full wood ; by the distribution from this office of framed pictures—Auckland Weekly Neivs (sporting issue), and copies of News and Views to hotels, clubs, &c., and by illustrated articles that appeared in newspapers and magazines. "I regret to report that every now and again unfavourable comment on happenings in the Dominion is cabled from New Zealand to newspapers in Australia. Such information is usually very much exaggerated, and if action could be taken to minimize same, New Zealand's good name in Australia would not suffer. " Commercial Work carried out on behalf of other Government Departments. —I am very pleased to be able to report that other Government Departments have continued to make great use of the offices during the year. Our work in this direction has principally consisted of buying Australian hardwood timber for the Departments of Public Works, Post and Telegraph, and Railways, and for these Departments alone timber to the value of approximately £117,500 has been purchased. Our work for other Departments has been very varied, consisting chiefly of rendering reports on trade and customs matters to the Departments of Industries and Commerce, and Customs ; collecting moneys due to Immigration Department by assisted migrants ; paying allotments on behalf of the Naval Defence Department; supervising the payment of moneys by the Native Land Boards to certain