CRITICISM OF HOTELS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29851, 18 June 1962, Page 14

CRITICISM OF HOTELS

‘Unworthy And

Irrelevant’

IN Z. Press Association) WANGANUI, June 17. Government criticism of New Zealand's hotel industry provoked sharp comment at today's final sessions in Wanganui of the New Zealand Travel and Holidays Association's 1982 convention. At Saturday's session, the Minister in charge of Tourist and Health Resorts (Mr Eyre) said that hotel interests seemed to be willing to build new hotels wherever a bar trade was profitable, but not where tourists required beds. Today, Mr K. L. Usmar. director' of the National Council of the Licensed Trade, described the Minister's suggestion as “quite unworthy. unjustified and irrelevant.” Another speaker said he had been "disgusted” by some of the Minister’s statements, and described the Minister's address as “a darned good speech from a socialist.” The retiring president of the association, Mr J. Newman. of Nelson, said that the Government should give the opportunity for private enterprise to provide accommodation where it was needed, before itself considering building accommodation in areas at present serviced by private enterprise. In his address on Saturday, the Minister said: "The master key to progress (in tourist promotion) is the provision of more hotel beds of an acceptable standard. “Some five months ago the Government freed the hotels from price control, believing that the hotel interests would respond favourably. “What has happened? Very little, yet—except that the price of bottled beer has been raised. “The hotel interests seem to be willing to build new hotels wherever a bar trade is profitable, but not where tourists require beds.”