ADVERTISING HEALTH RESORTS.
[To vs. EDITOR or TUB ..STReszT014.] Sat,—Your correspondent from Margate in the first part of his letter, in your issue of May 16th, asks me if I should desire to be so selfish as to enjoy the advantages brought about by advertising health resorts without contributing to the cost. The answer to this question, if it stood alone, would be that no advantages, from the private resident's point of view, ever do accrue to any residential district through advertising. But I observe that Mr. Mitchell claims that the rates have been lowered in Margate by means of advertisement. That state- ment requires proof. The attractions of Margate, for those who appreciate them, might well have sufficed without the aid of advertisement. But, apart from this quite subordinate point, Margate is not a typical residential district. I instanced Blackpool and Margate as towns offering attractions the character of which would certainly not attract the class of residents to which 'I referred and which would prove detrimental to the smaller residential districts. The interests of Blackpool and Margate are commercial in the sense that they mainly rely on the visitors whose tastes they cater for. I am obliged to Mr. Mitchell for showing so conclusively that in such centres the present system of advertising at the expense of those who have interests to serve by it works so profitably as well as economically to them. I hope his letter will not be overlooked when, if ever, the Bill in question comes up for a third reading. In really residential districts the private residents have no interests to serve by " Blackpool- izing", the health resorts at the cost of Id. in the rates, and they would not remain in the districts even were the rates reduced at the cost of the residential amenities.—I am, Sir,
Sidniouth.
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