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(vii) LAKE PUKAKI Hydro-electric developments at Lake Pukaki made it necessary to remove the Pukaki Hotel and rebuild it on a suitable site on the south-western shores of the lake at a point near the junction of the Queenstown and Hermitage highways. Pukaki Hotel now provides comfortable accommodation for about 20 guests. It is not operated by the Department and has been leased for many years. SPORT Although the Department has ceased to be an active agency in acclimatization matters, it retains a prime interest in all forms of sport in field, stream, and sea, inasmuch as these pursuits are tourist attractions. New Zealand's opportunities for mountaineering, snow-sport, walking, and other outdoor activities are also recognized as tourist attractions, and the encouragement of" visitors whose principal interests centre upon various forms of sport is one of the original objects with which the Department was charged at the time of its inception. Various publications dealing with outdoor sport, especially rod and gun sport, have been produced, and information in respect of other activities has been a feature of the service extended by the Government Tourist Bureaux in New Zealand and elsewhere. The co-operation of the Departments of Internal Affairs and Marine and of the various acclimatization societies which has been extended to this organization is therefore acknowledged and their assistance to this Department's officers is much appreciated. During the year active steps were taken to publicize overseas New Zealand's sporting attractions, particularly fresh-water and deep-sea angling. High-class material designed to induce anglers and other sportsmen to visit this country has been prepared and will be distributed during the next twelve months. CONCLUSION The year 1948-49 has been a record tourist year for New Zealand, the business handled by the Department being more than double that of the best pre-war year, and the present period points to still further progress. Comparative statement of turnover at Government Tourist Bureaux, departmental hotels, reserves, &c., is as follows : £ 1948-49 .. .. .. .. .. 1,738,542 1938-39 .. .. .. .. .. 782,376 Increase .. .. .. .. £956,166 As the more essential and priority building programmes are satisfied, the Department expects a great expansion in suitable tourist accommodation to take place. It is now mainly upon increased and improved accommodation that the development of the tourist industry of this country, which undoubtedly has a very great future, depends-

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