Nelson Commentary

The holiday season is over and now is perhaps a good time to reflect on events which have occurred during the season. Thousands of visitors each year make Nelson their temporary home and without any doubt, the commercial value of their visit is tremendous. We should, however, resist complacency. Tourism is big business in New Zealand today and every town in the country, with an eye to commercial interests, is vieing for the tourist trade. So let's reflect a while and see what progress has been made in Nelson and where (if at all) we've fallen down on the job of ensuring that the visitors we had this season will not only return next year but will encourage their friends to come here also.

No doubt about it, the weather man let us down badly over the holiday period, with the result that there were a lot of people with little to do on wet days. The majority who were worst affected were campers, so might we suggest to the Tahuna Sands Association that it investigate the building, or acquiring of a building, large enough to serve as a games room (table tennis, darts, quoits, etc). We appreciate the cost involved, but feel that if some small charges were made for the amenities provided it would eventually pay for itself.

Two other points. While on the beach we heard many complaints of the incessant noise emanating from loudspeakers by the skating rink, from the surf club building and from the carnival behind the tennis courts. We feel, as did many complainants, that this could well be discontinued. To the Jaycees who expressed disappointment at the comparatively small numbers who attended the Mardi Gras, might we suggest that we return to an open fancy dress rather than a theme for the Mardi Gras, and a drastic limitation on the number of stalls and side shows in Trafalgar Street. Looking back through earlier issues of "Photo News" we note some excellent fancy dress groups, and lots of them. There were very few this year.

These, then, are a few of our views. No doubt there are many others with similar thoughts or ideas which could help Nelson retain its place as New Zealand's best holiday resort. If so, then let your views be known.