"Crowding Causes Fighting In Hotel”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31151, 30 August 1966, Page 3

"Crowding Causes Fighting In Hotel”

(New Zealand Press Association >

INVERCARGILL, August 29. Superintendent J. H. Alty, officer in charge of the Southland police district, today refused to comment on reports of disturbances and fighting in the bar of the Tourist Hotel Corporation’s Te Anau Hotel.

Asked whether the matter was being investigated or had been investigated by Inspector P. S. Revell, as earlier reported, Mr Alty said he had no comment. Disturbances and violence in the Te Anau Hotel bar. which many people believe has been caused by overcrowding, continued on Saturday afternoon, A ’member of a party from Invercargill said bottles were thrown around the bar on Saturday and fights were com-

monplace. He said he had been amazed and disgusted at the behaviour of some patrons, and at the crowded conditions. “I’ve seen some pretty rough places in many parts of the world,” he said, “but 1 left that bar at Te Anau on Saturday afternoon when the bottles started to fly.” Of the many cases of drunkenness, many were youths. Complaints on conditions at the hotel have been made to the member of Parliament for the district, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys), and it is believed that he has passed them on to the Minister of Tourism (Mr Eyre).