Reply To League “Insolent”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 18

Reply To League “Insolent”

A member of the Canterbury Progress League, Mr A. R. Mackay, last night accused the general manager of the Tourist Hotel Corporation (Mr E. C. Colbeck) of insolence and discourtesy i n dealing with league correspondence. Mr Mackay was referring at a meeting of the league to Mr Colbeck’s reply to a letter from the league on the corporation’s plans for the development of tourist accommodation at the Hermitage. Mr Mackay described the

plans as ludicrous, inadequate, and utterly unrealistic. He urged the league to send a strong letter of protest to the Minister of Tourism (Mr Eyre) Indicating resentment at the attitude of the corporation. In reply to the league’s letter, Mr Colbeck said that the corporation's immediate plans were to construct a motel providing accommodation for 100. It should be available in 1968. In five to 10 years the corporation envisaged a second hotel of at least 120 beds. “You will appreciate that, as the corporation is an agency of government, capital funds must first be provided by the Government through the corporation’s annual works programme,” Mr Colbeck said. Mr Mackay said he considered the letter so brief and uninformative that it was discourteous. “The general manager is to all intents and purposes a publie servant, and the Tourist Hotel Corporation is a public body,” he said. Mr Mackay asked what type of accommodation and what range of tariffs would be covered in the corporation’s plans. He also asked whether architect’s plans had already been drawn up and if not, when they would be started. If plans were drawn up, had working plans been prepared, and if not when would they be completed? Mr Mackay wanted to know whether a contract would be let by public tender or whether the work would be done by different arrangements. If the latter, what were the arrangements?

He wanted definite dates of completion in relation to 1968.

He said Mr Colbeck’s information indicated that the plans for the future would be entirely inadequate. “An additional 120 beds within five to 10 years is so utterly unrealistic that it is ludicrous,” he said. “We are perfectly well aware that capital funds must be provided by the Government for the Tourist Hotel Corporation, and it is insolent on the part of Mr Colbeck to remind responsible businessmen that this is so. “It is no part of the function of the Tourist Hotel Corporation to edit its planning to fit what it believes to be the Government’s policy. “The corporation should plan ahead to meet requirements and place these before the Government. Its actual commitments will, of course, be conditioned by financial provisions made.

”How does the Tourist Hotel Corporation know in advance what the Government is likely to provide in the next 10 years?” The league decided to suspend further discussion of the matter until its August meeting.