HIKERS AND HOSPITALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 17

HIKERS AND HOSPITALITY.

The little New Plymouth girl, when she embarked on her Inking trip to Auckland, set an example that mtich older girls have seen fit to emulate. May I correct a little misunderstanding that may arise from an article that appeared in the "Star" relating to the experiences of the hikers from Wellington? They state that on their trip north they received kindness and consideration everywhere until they arrived in Auckland, and then their troubles began. They would imply that kindness, consideration and courtesy were strangers to the Auckland citizens. I have not the honour to be a New Zealandcr, but have lived in many towns and cities in New Zealand, and nowhere have I received more consideration than in Auckland. The senior member of the party stated that she and her four children walked to Auckland in order that she might obtain employment and send her children to school here. She stated that they could not secure bed and breakfast under £1 per week. As a matter of fact, they made their plight known to a young couple keeping a private hotel, who showed them every consideration and attention, and put the family of four up for £3 for a week, giving them bed and breakfast and the full use of the rooms they occupied for that period, also the use of the sitting room, witli a good fire, and hot baths whenever they wanted them. I might mention that they also had free admission to some of our picture theatres, through the kind offices of one of our charitable institutions. Trusting this will remove any wrong impression. H.W.T.