CRITICAL VISITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23280, 24 February 1939, Page 12

CRITICAL VISITOR

DEPARTMENT'S REPLY PLANS THAT WENT WRONG TRAVEL IN NORTH ISLAND [by TELEGRAPH —OW.V correspondent] WELLINGTON, Thursday Complaints by two Australian tourists, Mr. A. L. Back-well and another, about the arrangements made by the Government Tourist Bureau for their tour of the North Island are replied to by the Tourist and Publicity Department. Referring to the complaint that the itinerary started about six hours before the ship arrived at Auckland, the department states that the Awatea frequently arrives from Sydney at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., and that this is the time upon which all advance itineraries are planned. In reply to the complaint that the tourists were not expected at Tauranga, and their hotel accommodation was cancelled, the memorandum states that the reservations were cancelled for the previous day, arrangements having been upset by the late arrival of the Awatea. Fresh reservations were definitely made for the following day. Alternative Arrangements It was also said by the tourists that the service car omitted to call, and that they were obliged to hire a tasi to take them to Rotorua. Commenting on this complaint, the memorandum states the department definitely made the reservations with the service car company, but through some confusion arising out of the cancellation made for the previous day the company failed to record the fresh reservation. The Tauranga agent of the department made alternative arrangements which were not acceptable to the tourists. Referring to the complaint that the tourists visited the Rotorua bureau four times to rectify errors in arrangements, the department states they called at the bureau several times regarding their complaint, and their visits to that office were not on account of other errors in the arrangements, as would appear from the newspaper report.

The tourists also complained that they were given accommodation in Napier in a fourth-class hotel. Because of the Rotary conference and wool sales in Napier it was impossible to obtain any better accommodation. Steamer Bookings Another complaint by the tourists was that when they went to present their receipts for return tickets they found that the Auckland manager had inadvertently addressed the slip to himself. The tourists were apparently referring to the acknowledgment slip, which was correctly addressed to the district manager in Auckland. They were placed at no inconvenience whatever in the matter of their steamer bookings, but it was necessary for them to call back at the Wellington office in order to obtain their tickets. The department said that the only real cause of complaint appeared to be the fault of the motor service proprietor who operated from Tauranga to Rotorua, and even then the company stated its willingness to compensate the tourists by placing special facilities at their disposal in Rotorua.