OUR DUTY AS HOSTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 8

OUR DUTY AS HOSTS.

"Our hoard is little, but our hearts Are great," says one of the characters in the "Idylls of the King." It is a good saying for men and cities to'keep in mind. Judged by the standards of our American guests, our Auckland hoard may be little, but that is no reason why our hearts should not be great. There is a feeling among the visitors, which we believe to be well founded, that Auckland has been rather cold in its entertainment, especially towards the rank and file. We have heard complaints that Aucklanders not only do not speak to sailors, but they do not reply when addressed. There are two ways of entertaining the visitors, There was not at first sufficient organised entertainment for the rank and file, and the vile weather on Wedne6day and Thursday added. to the loneliness of these men in a strange city. Now that the sun is shining (let us hasten to add at the time of writing), life will seem a little brighter even to the lonely American. Besides, more is being done by local organisation to give our gueets a good time. There are, however, limits to this kind 'of entertaining, and it remains for the people of Auckland, individually, to supplement it by private friendliness and hospitality, by talking to the men when they have an opportunity, and taking them to their homes. A remark made by an> American to an Aucklander probably expresses the views of many in the ships. "We don't want a fuss made over us. We like best to be taken somewhere where there's just an extra knife and fork laid for us, and we can eat pies like mother used to make." We publish this brightly expressed preference in the hope that it may have some effect in an increase of homely hospitality.