FRIENDLINESS FOR SALE

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31416, 8 July 1967, Page 12

FRIENDLINESS FOR SALE

(By

WHIM WHAM)

“We are famous for our easy-going friendliness. Why should we not capitalise on this virtue to the benefit of our tourist trade and the benefit of our visitors? One of the most satisfying experiences, to the tourist traveller, is being invited into a local home . . .liaison between local hotels and the local organising office . . . offered the hospitality of a local home from a prepared list of volunteer hosts. • The Minister of Tourism (Mr Thomson) to a meeting of the Wellington Travel League. Our kindly Hearts, our friendly Faces, Let’s put them on a Paying Basis. The prudent (and progressive) Course is To USE these Natural Resources. In such hard Times, who can afford The Virtue that’s its own Reward? The Glad Hand has an itching Palm; It’s not for Nothing, all this Charm. Sir, switch on your sincerest Smile, Prepare a Welcome, Kiwi Style, Remember that the Tourist spends More freely, feeling We’re his FRIENDS. Open your Arms, your Home, your Heart, Remember, this is but the Start: The Friendliness you now invest Opens the Wallet of the Guest, The Guest goes home, he spreads the News, Whence Overseas Exchange accrues. The famous Virtue we possess, Of ‘easy-going Friendliness’, Is a Commodity, for Sale, Like Wool so Much a Pound or Bale An easy Virtue, too much trumpeted And (sorry, Shakespeare!) ‘rudely strumpeted’?. Sir, though Idealists may hold That there are Things which can’t be sold, Thomson and You and I (thank Heaven) Know that it’s Nineteen-Sixty-Seven, A Nation’s ‘Virtue’ is, what’s in It; Truth’s on the Market every Minute, And what’s so Special, in this Mess, About our ‘famous Friendliness’? Sir, ask me Who I think I’m kidding. What are We offered? How’s the Bidding?