HOLIDAY VISITORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 9

HOLIDAY VISITORS.

ACCOMMODATION ADEQUATE.

TARIFFS LITTLE AFFECTED.

An impression seems to have been formed in the South that to visit Auckland during the Exhibition season is unduly expensive. From inquiries made yesterday it would appear that this is far from correct. A holiday can be spent as cheaply in Auckland just now as in any of the Southern cities, and if a little extra expenditure is incurred at the Exhibition the return makes it well worth while. Hotel and boardinghouse tariffs have not been affected to any extent by the Exhibition. Before it opened a slight increase was made, 2s to 3s a week in the case of boardinghouses and Is a day in the case of hotels. These increases would probably have been made in any case irrespective of the Exhibition on account of the increased cost of running such establishments. In no case have further increases been made, and some boardinghouses have not even made the increases authorised. Tariffs in Auckland are no dearer than they were in Christchurch during the Exhibition summer. The rates vary from 5s a day to 15s a day, inclusive. The average quotation for bed and breakfast is 2s Id per day, and for bed and meals in a boardinghouse 7s 6d a day. In the official accommodation guide 83 houses quote from 8s to 15s a day; 40 quote from 7s to 7s 6d per day; 55 quote from 6s to 6s 6d per day; and 25 quote from 5s to 5s 6d per day. No one need miss seeing the Exhibition for fear of being unable to obtain accommodation. There has certainly been a very large influx of visitors, but the accommodation offering is unprecedentedly extensive. When the accommodation guide was compiled a table was made of 7500 beds available for visitors, made up as follows:—In hotels 2000, in boardinghouses 3250, in private houses (in some cases no meals, or breakfast only being given) 2250. Since then tie accommodation agent has received notice from householders, mostly suburban residents, who can provide 1500 beds, making a total of 9000. This far exceeds the accommoda-

tion ever before known to be available in any New Zealand city. Even in the rush which ensued just after Christmas this accommodation was not taxed. It is true that the leading hotels and boardinghouses were refusing many applicants, but the accommodation in the less known boardinghouses and private houses was not fully utilised.

Although the city is not so full as during the Christmas and New Year holidays the number of visitors arriving daily is remarkably large. The amateur and professional athletic meetings are bringing a large number of visitors to the city, and the incoming trains are well patronised by holiday-makers. The band contest and medical conference in the second week of February will bring a very large number of visitors. Shop prices have not been in any way affected by the Exhibition.