Use of hotels

Press, 9 May 1983, Page 20

Use of hotels

Sir,—Last week Mr Muldoon at an Auckland conference, in supporting a New Zealand-first campaign, stated that he was made in New Zealand and proud of it. Therefore, could the Minister of Internal Affairs advise why is it that those departmental staff arranging V.I.P. tours make bookings in foreign-owned hotels instead of Christchurch or New Zealandowned hotels? For decades, V.I.P.S and the Royal House of Windsor when visiting Christchurch would be booked in at either Ballins Clarendon Hotel or United Service Hotel. Since Noahs Hotel has been built my inquiries show that these same type visitors are now, with few exceptions, booked in at Noahs. I feel that while New Zealand is going through economic depression, a Royal tour, with all its extravagance, is as wanted as an extra night of “Coronation Street,” but if it happens, the guests and other V.I.P.S should be accommodated in a New Zealand-owned hotel, not a higher-priced Australian-owned hotel.—Yours, etc., M. O’NEILL. April 14, 1983.

[The Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Highet, replies: “My departmental staff do not deliberately select foreign-owned hotels. What is sought is a standard of accommodation and service that is appropriat&to the international visitors who Jre our guests. If New Zea-land-owned hotels meet this standard, they are and will be used.”]