MODERN HOTEL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 7 December 1938, Page 8

MODERN HOTEL

NELSON-WEST COAST CHAIN COMPLETED j COMPANY CONGRATULATED BY TOURIST DEPARTMENT - : OFFICIAL DINNER LAST EVENING | The official opening of the new Hotel Nelson was marked last evening by a dinner attended by about 80 representative businessmen, as guests of Nelson and West Coast Hotels Ltd. The Mayor of Nelson (Mr G. L. Page) occupied the chair. Hotel Nelson, at the corner of Hardy and Trafalgar streets, is an imposing three-storied reinforced concrete building with a smart appearance given by the terracotta coloured finish. The hotel has accommodation for about 80 guests and it is as modern as any hotel in New Zealand in furnishings and services. It is carpeted throughout and has hot and cold water services in each room and suites of rooms are also available. The dining room is tastefully I decorated and is spacious, seating over | 100 persons. The kitchen and its ap- ! pliances include a series of Aga stoves I and freezing chambers and all the j equipment is of the most modern type. • A feature has been made of the lounge j which is recognised by travellers as one! of the most modern and comfortable in • New Zealand. The bar accommodation ; is large and hygienic, and in all, the I hotel provides a class of accommodation j which has been lacking in the city for ! many years. COMPANY CONGRATULATED Mr L. J. Schmidt, general manager of j the Government Tourist and Publicity • Department, made a trip from Welling- j ton to attend the function and in pro- j posing a toast to Nelson and West Coast ! Hjtels Ltd. he congrautlated the j company on the completion of the three j hotels in the Nelson-West Coast chain — ■ Hotel Nelson, Hotel Buller and Hotel i Westland. The completion of the 1 Hotel Nelson would make available to the tourist and other travelling public a most up-to-date and commodious hotel.

Mr Schmidt said it was the first duty of his department and kindred services to make for better accommodation for tourists and the travelling public. He congratulated the company on the chain of accommodation for which it was responsible. Even after he had seen most of the finest scenery in the world, said Mr Schmidt, the average tourist must have comfort and service, and this was being given them in Nelson and on the West Coast. A hotel such as the Hotel Nelson definitely made Nelson and the West Coast more popular. He considered some of the finest scenery in New Zealand was in Nelson and at the glaciers, and the Tourist Department endeavoured to co-operate and help the tourist agencies to give the tourists the resting facilities they wanted. It was only by that co-operation that they could give servic<

Mr Schmidt said that he thought they would be pleased w’ith the film of Nelson which was being shown in the city this week. The northern part of the South Island had co-operated particularly well with the Government Tourist Department, and he thanked them wholeheartedly.

or ine ocum isiana naa co-operaicu particularly well with the Government Tourist Department, and he thanked them wholeheartedly. The publicity would be of great value, both in New Zealand and overseas. In giving some idea of the work of the department, Mr Schmidt said that last year 786,000 films had been produced and over 7,000,000 booklets and pamphlets distributed. The revenue in the last three years had been substantial. In 1936 it had totalled £14,000, in 1937 £17,000 and in 1938 £20,000. He hoped that in 1939 this figure would reach £25.000. It was surprising to know, said the speaker, that New Zealand had more, overseas visitors than Canada, and about the same number as Honolulu. Mr Schmidt congratulated the chair-; man of directors (Mr li. R. Duncan),! the directors, and Mr E. Gahagan, on the establishment of the company and | on what it was doing to assist the | Tourist Department, and on the service that it was giving to its guests. Mr Duncan said it was a compliment to them for Mr Schmidt to come from Wellington, but the speaker thought he had come because he realised what had been done for tourists and also to increase traffic in New Zealand. He mentioned that in 1877 the hotel was a wooden building with stables adjoining. The first alteration was made in 1884 when the corner was re-built, and about 1906 the western portion was pulled down and the present struc- ' ture erected in brick. Shortly after-! wards the old Masonic Hall was bought j and used as a bar, but later this was pulled down and the present structure j was built. The first company was formed in j Westport, and was called the Hotel j Buller Company. When the present: company was formed, it took over eon-! trol of the three hotels, Hotel Nelson,* Hotel Buller and Hotel Westland. j Speaking of the financial side, Mr i Duncan said that the company had a 1 nominal capital of £43.000. and that [ subscribed by the public was £28.900.! The company was doing everything possible to bring tourist traffic to Nelson* and the West Coast and in that the j directors appreciated the services being rendered to the company by Mr E. Gahagan. The Mayor (Mr G. L. Page), in wel-1 coming Mr Schmidt, spoke of the progress the company had made, and! compared the present building with the! "iginal one He said that Nelson and I West Coast Hotels Ltd. had made it! what it was to-day. The three buildings were a credit to the architects, builders and those connected with them ! Mr F. O. Hamilton in a toast to the j hosts, Mr and Mrs Gahagan, paid a warm tribute to their worth to the i company as managers and pleasant j hosts. j Mr Gahagan thanked Mr Schmidt! and his Department for their co-opera-| tion. and paid a tribute to the stall's of all three Hotels.