GUIDING AT WHAKAREWAREWA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21113, 22 February 1932, Page 12

GUIDING AT WHAKAREWAREWA.

Sir,—As a visitor I'have spent considerable time at Whakarewarewa/" This, place has a charm all of -its own, but unfortunately there is a fly in the ointment, which certainly detracts considerably from tho pleasure of a visit, to wit, the system, or lack of system, by which one obtains the services of a guide. At present, on arriving in Whaka,, the tourist is greeted with, "Do you want a guide?" Some guides are fortunate in securing quite large parties, while others, apparently just as active and efficient, may be hours, or even a day, without securing- .a single patron. This touting is extremely undignified and degrading'and gives the_ visitor from overseas aq entirely wrong impression of the native race, and is;certainly ,r<ot fair to those who are forced to obtain their patrons in this manner. A favoured few (very few) apparently have an arrangement with either the Government Tourist Department or tourist agencies whereby practically all the overseas visitors, especially Americans, con?e under their' guidance. they are the official guides for the Government Tourist Department, they should receive a . salary, ■» and not be entitled to charge a guide fee, nor should "they enter into open competition on off days with their less fortunate sisters. I understand that all guides are registered and pay a yearly fee for their licence »nd are, therefore, officially recognised. It appears that, in common justice to all, these women, who have paid their licence fee and are. dependent upon guiding for their livelihood, should be placed upon a daily duty list and be allotted to visiting parties, whether large or small, strictly in rotation, thus enabling each and all to receive a more equal share of the revenue arising from the visits of tourists and others. Traveller.