ACCOMMODATION IN CITY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24985, 20 September 1946, Page 10

ACCOMMODATION IN CITY

“ POSITION THOROUGHLY UNSATISFACTORY ” SERVICE OF LICENSED , HOTELS “It is significant that although there are in Christchurch only half as many private hotels, guest houses, and common lodging houses ,as there are licensed hotels, they accommodate virtually as many guests,” said Mr T. H. Langford, public relations officer of the Christchurch City Council, in commenting yesterday on the survey of accommodation recently carried out by his department. The survey shows that 56 hotels in the metropolitan area provide a total accommodation for 1220 guests. The largest numbers catered for by individual hotels are 110, 80, and 65 respectively. Sixteen cater for fewer than 10 guests each. Private hotels, guest houses, and common lodging houses number 28, and 26 of these provide accommodation for 1208 guests, no information being available about the remaining two. The largest lodging houses accommodate 147 and 103 guests respectively. Only one caters for fewer than 20 guests, the exception being a lodging house with accommodation for 16.

“This survey reveals a state of affairs that seems to me thoroughly unsatisfactory,” said Mr Langford, who told a reporter that it was one of the first tasks he put -in hand on his appointment as public relations officer. It was absolutely necessary, he said, for those who were preparing for a big exhibition in Christchurch in 1950 to know the extent of their accommodation problem. The survey was anything but reassuring, and it was obvious that not only would permanent accommodation have to be increased, but that it would be necessary to provide temporary hostels, as Wellington did for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in 1939-40.

“I think there are fewer accommodation places in Christchurch now than there were 25 years ago,” said Mr Langford, “and the number of guests accommodated each night is smaller. It is evident that some licensees are not fulfilling the terms of their licences, although probably satisfactory explanations are given to the police, who are responsible for these matters. In fairness to licensees it should be pointed out that the survey shows that in several instances extensions are contemplated; in some cases the only hold-up is the unavailability of materials.

“Even with these extensions, however, there will still be a dearth of accommodation for the ever-increasing numbers of people travelling to and .from our city. Staff may be a problem, but there is. generally speaking, less difficulty in getting girls to undertake work in hotels than in other types of domestic work. “The matter will have to be taken up very seriously by the exhibition committee, as such a state of affairs could jeopardise the project,” concluded Mr Langford.