Port Macquarie's 14th annual croquet tournament was opened yesterday in sunny weather. A happy group of visitors were present as tribute was paid to the town and its croquet club by representatives from sixteen different clubs who acknowledged the welcome extended to them by madam president Cyril Lewis.
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Prior to mayor Alderman Adams "making a hoop" on the green to mark the official opening, morning tea was served at West Port Macquarie Bowling Club. Visitors from Tasmania, Victoria, Canberra, Queensland, and several NSW Clubs said how pleased they were to be participating in the carnival.
Male croquet players were present in increasing numbers. The tournament extends over two weeks and, as well as the two local lawns, Wauchope lawns will also be used to get through the matches.
Director of tourism urges more promotion
The director of the state's Department of Tourism, Ron Murdoch, said in Port Macquarie on Thursday last, that people getting the first benefits of the tourist industry should have the business sense to contribute more to its promotion.
He was addressing a gathering of aldermen, businessmen and accommodation owners in the council chambers, and was referring to approaches made to him for a subsidy increase from government for tourist promotion.
The Tourist Authority for this Hastings region last year received a subsidy of $2700, (Mr. Murdoch had said he thought it was $3900), and in his welcome to Mr. Murdoch, Tourist Authority chairman, Mr N. W. Joscelyne said he hoped Mr Murdoch would appreciate the authority's need and make a larger subsidy available to it, particularly in light of the importance of the area as a holiday centre and the amount of work being done here to promote tourism.
After saying the government allocation was $50,000 for subsidies and this had to be divided between 36 regions, Mr Murdoch went on to say: "It's not an additional $1000 or $1500 that you want; that would only be peanuts. What you really want is $15,000".
Mr Murdoch went on to say he knew this area and knew what tourism is worth to it. "People whose first concern is having the tourist here are the people you must look to for the means of promotion. Are you happy that the tourist industry is weighing in proportion to what would be regarded a right amount," he said. "The people you are trying to sell to don't live here; the future of your tourist industry lies within itself; the bulk of the money for promotion has to come from industry itself."