No Need to Consider Tourists

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22112, 7 June 1937, Page 8

No Need to Consider Tourists

In an interesting interview, reported by the London correspondent of “ The Press ” a few days ago, Sir Clutha Mackenzie, director of Auckland’s Jubilee Institute for the Blind, commented upon the dismal contrast between the freedom of “ almost every civilised country,” in a particular point, and the want of it in New Zealand, The tourist in Italy, for example, may eat and drink when he likes; the tourist in New Zealand, on th£ other hand, finds that the Government has clocked his meal hours for him. Sir Clutha Mackenzie added the information. which will not be thought incredible, that it is becoming widely known in England that the Dominion’s visitors can expect only such entertainment and service as the curious limitations of the law allow; and, he says, the feeling that this is “ a barbarous, not a hospitable “ country,” will seriously endanger its prospects of tourist traffic. Those are hard words, and they will perhaps offend some readers; but there is no real offence in the frankness of a necessary warning. The Dominion, certainly, may regulate in this province as in any other to please itself, though there is not the smallest to believe that the people of New Zealand, as a whole, want or approve the vexatious restrictions which have been introduced; but it must not be imagined that oversea visitors or inquirers will be just as well pleased. They will judge by their own standards, customs, and tastes; and the tourist country which does not consider them may advertise the warmth of its welcome and the wealth of its attractions without overcoming doubts or displeasure. The inconsistency is there, and it is a dangerous one. The Dominion is pursuing tourist traffic with renewed vigour and at the same time writing it on the Statute Book that tourists need not be considered.