Cool Hill Station For Tahiti

Tourist Association Has Energy and Initiative

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Feb. 4.

THE annual general meeting of the Syndicate D'Initiative (Tourist Association) was held recently in the Mairie at Papeete. His Excellency Gouverneur Montagne was present by invitation. The attendance was a representative one and included the Mayor of Papeete (Mr.

George Bambridge), the Commandant and Officers of the training ship Zeelee, and most of the business men of the community.

Monsieur L’Herbier, who succeeded the late Pere Rougier as President of the Association, presented a resume of operations covering the preceding twelve months. In the course of this he stated that the Tourist Bureau established on the wharf at Papeete had amply justified its expense by the good work already accomplished. Foreign tourists unacquainted with the French language were now able to secure assistance in passing their baggage through the Customs, and in other formalities of entry. They could also get reliable information as to what accommodation was available ashore.

With regard to the various Committees charged with special branches of the Association's work, the President said that these were functioning satisfactorily, and

he particularly laid stress on the results achieved by the Committee des Strang ers. Under the stimulus of propaganda, and of prizes offered by the Association and by private donators, this Committee had been successful in arousing the en thusiasm of the natives in the work of beautifying their districts. In some localities, flower gardening had become a craze, unsightly fences were being re placed with hedges of coloured plants, and flowering trees planted along the roadside. This sort of work took time and effort and the importance of it from a tourist standpoint was not easy to bring home to the native mind. A splendid beginning had been made, the value of which would become more apparent as tlme went on.

At this juncture a letter was read from the Committee des Etrangers drawing at tention to the mutilation of shade trees along the water front and other places in Papeete, which was stated to be neces sary for extension of the telephone sys tern and for drainage improvements. It was decided to discuss this question with the municipal authorities and endeavour to find a solution.

On the question of a suitable site for a hill station, the President said that after

several ineffectual excursions into differ ent parts of the Island a location had been decided upon near Mount Touhi, where, at an altitude of 900 metres, there was sufficient land and water available for the carrying out of the project. The ap proach to this plateau would be from a point in the Punaavia district about 12 kilometres from Papeete. No bridges would be necessary and he was advised that there existed no great obstacles to the construction of an automobile road when funds were available for the pur pose. In the meantime a bridle track could be cut on an easy gradient at no great expense.

Several minor matters having been dis posed of, M. L’Herbier dealt with the financial situation of the Association which, considering the present economic difficulties throughout the world and the general falling off of all business, he re garded as a satisfactory one. After allo cating a portion of the available funds for various purposes, there would still re main a substantial cash balance, which it was proposed to contribute towards the expense of deepening the Papeete Pass, so that large tourist vessels could enter with safety: he anticipated that the work would be completed during the coming year.

H.E. The Gouverneur, who has shown great interest in the various projects of the Association for the development of the Colony’s tourist resources, made a sympathetic response on the matters which had been raised at the meeting.

He said that it was intended to take up the important work of deepening the Pa peete Pass at an early date, and arrange ments for a bridle track to the proposed hill station were also under way.