CALLED MEAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 11

CALLED MEAN.

"TIGHTWAD TOURISTS"

VISITORS FROM DOMINION. STRONG COMMENT IN PERTH. . Some comments on the behaviour of New Zealand tourists in Perth, West Australia, particularly when it comes to spending money there, are contained in an article in the "Mirror," published in Perth. Under the caption "Tightwad Tourists," the article alleges that travellers from the Dominion are very mean in their spending and adds that it does not consider the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, need worry about too much money being spent outside New Zealand.

The issue of the "Mirror" on January 14 contained the following:—

"Maybe some of the New Zealand tourists who were in Perth this week thought they were visiting Perth in Scotland. If that were so, it would explain that they didn't like to be seen spending too much money lest they gave the locals too much of a shock. °

"But not even a New Zealand earthquake could have given worse shocks than did some of the tightwads among the ?»ew Zealand tourists while iu Perth."

After saving tliat tradespeople had described the travellers a< "the tightest crowd we have ever met" and quoting instances of the alleged disapproval of the New Zealanders at being called on to pay minor charges, such as for parking, the article continues: —

"There are many world tourists, however, who claim "that, next to France, tourists are 'soaked' more in New Zealand than anywhere eke.

"So 'ti<*ht' were some of the visitors [ that some ordered one serve of afternoon tea and halved it. But the climax came when, at a cool drink shop, two tourists contributed lid each towards a -lass of a cool drink and drank hall each from the same glass! •- —■ ■ ■« -*