The subjoined letter is an excerpt of a communication forwarded to the Minister-in-Charge of the Tourist Department, the Hon. A. L. Herdman (formerly a resident of Naseby), Mr R. Scott, M.P. for the district, several other members of Parliament, and also to ...other public bodies: -"Sir, - We have the honour to address you on behalf of the Naseby Winter Sports Association, formed recently as the outcome of a public meeting held in Naseby.The objects of the association are, among other things, to bring before the public and tourists the special advantages of Naseby and its locality, both as a summer and a winter resort.
"The town, some 90 miles inland from Dunedin, is reached by the Otago Central line to Ranfurly, thence by an excellent coach road for nine miles.
The town is well sheltered by the foot-hills at the base of the Mount Ida Range. Its elevation of some 2000ft above sea level, and its distance from the sea gives it a continental climate.
"There are, besides boarding-houses, four hotels in the town, which can provide ample accommodation for a large number of visitors at a reasonable tariff.
"As a summer resort, the town possesses a bowling green, tennis court, croquet green, cricket grounds, etc., whilst trout-fishing and shooting may be had in the immediate vicinity. From October to the end of May the weather is second to none in the dominion, rain being the exception, and uninterrupted sunshine the rule, the entire absence of humidity in the atmosphere making the otherwise high temperature a pleasant heat. The main route for motorists from Dunedin is through Palmerston South (36 miles), thence by Main road through Waihemo to Naseby (53 miles), and is frequently covered in 4 hours. Naseby is on the direct route from the coast to Wanaka and the Lakes district. As a winter resort, our association submits that the town offers advantages unrivalled in the colonies. From the end of June until the middle of August from 4in to 12in of ice is available almost without intermission on shallow dams specially constructed for curling, and is also available to a lesser degree on the deeper dams.
"One of the objects of the association is to foster winter sports in the form of curling, skating, tobogganing, ski-ing, etc., and the association is convinced that, if a larger area of shallow water were available so that the sports of curling and skating could be indulged in with perfect safety, a novel, healthy, and exhilarating pastime could be afforded to visitors to the town ...
"We would suggest that the above particulars might be communicated to the general public and that your department should place Naseby on its recognised list of tourist resorts for the dominion." - ODT, 12.10.1912.
