Hotels Not Catering For Travelling Public

Northern Advocate, 18 January 1944, Page 2

Hotels Not Catering For Travelling Public

(Spec.) AUCKLAND. This Day. The failure of many hotels to provide accommodation for the travelling public is accentuating the difficulties being experienced in coping with a record internal -tourist season. This attitude has been the subject of comment, not only by officials of tourist organisations but also by licensees of hotels catering for the public. The Licensing Act. 1908, states that any innkeeper who fails, or refuses, except for some valid reason, to supply lodgings, meals or accommodation to travellers, is liable for each offence to a fine not exceeding £lO. Few prosecutions have been made under this section and it is felt that action should be taken.

Concentration in liquor Sale

A large number of the hotels both in city and country districts, are concentrating entirely on the sale of liquor. No provision whatever is made for serving meals or providing lodgings, and as a result, hundreds of rooms are unused.

Accommodation in the city has been at a premium for much of the war period, because some of the larger residential hotels have been used for other purposes. A record tourist demand having now been imposed upon normal lodging requirements, the position has become infinitely worse, resulting in many prospective visitors going' elsewhere, and a loss to the city of tourist business alone must be substantial.

“It is quite time something was done about it,” said a tourist official. “It is getting very hard to place people and even business from the south are finding it difficult to engage rooms.”