HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

Grey River Argus, 25 July 1923, Page 2

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

HAS GREYMOUTH A SHORTAGE? Shortage of hotel accommodation prompted Mr W. Meldrum, S.M., President of the Licensing Bench, at the last meeting held in Hokitika, to urge upon hotelkeepers in tho Westland district to increase their accommodation, in view of the expected influx of visitors caused by the opening of the Otira Tunnel and the Hokitika Exhibition. When Air J. D. Wingham. President of the Greymouth Licens/d Victuallers’ Association, was asked yesterday hv an “Argus” representative, what steps were to be taken to improve accommodation in view of the near approach of the opening of the Otira Tunnel, he said that, as far as he could sec, nothing could be done without building. Afore accommodation was badly needed in Greymouth. Every time races were held in Greymouth there was a surplus of people, who wore unable to get accommodation. Shake-downs were always in demand and people were then homeless. There were, he said, only eight hotels in the town which really catered for the travelling public and one large boarding house. These were not nearly sufficient. Something would have to be done. Air W. AlcFarlane, another licensee, declared that there was sufficient accommodation in Greymouth to cope with any rush; the only thing necessary was for all hotels to make arrangements to take in people. In a majority of the licensed houses, he contended, there are a number of rooms, which were not used or furnished. If these rooms were made habitable, he could see no reason why the hotels could not cope with the raffic. The majority of the people who ame. to the Coast for races were males, and most of them young men, who did not object to sleeping two In a room. He would estimate the possible extra visitors who could be accommo ; dated, at 400. —