HOTEL SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23015, 19 October 1936, Page 10

HOTEL SERVICE

EFFECTS OF RECENT LEGISLATION COMMENTS BY VISITORS HIGH COST OF LIVING REMARKED There has been a good deal of speculation with regard to the effect of the reduced working week on hotel service, and the suggestion has been made in various quarters since the restrictions were enforced in the trade in June of this year, that the Dominion’s tourist traffic may be expected to suffer as a result of their operation. A Daily Times reporter discussed the matter with one or two members of the party of overseas visitors to the Chambers of Commerce Congress, and found that the results of the shorter working week have not escaped notice. Mr T. S. Smith (Waisall), when asked for his impressions of New Zealand hotels, remarked that they were the equal of the best hotels in centres equal in population to the principal cities' of the Dominion. Considering the population of New Zealand, he thought that the hotels he had visited were very good. Nevertheless, he would say that the most comfortable and pleasant night he had spent since coming to the Dominion was on the ferry steamer Rangatira, going from Wellington to Christchurch. “ I am convinced of one thing,” he said, “ and that is that the standard of service in New Zealand can never be appreciably improved under the existing industrial laws. I do not refer only to the recent enactments but to the general restrictions imposed on the trade, some of which I noticed on a previous visit 12 years ago.” What the effect of present conditions would have on the tourist trade Mr Smith was not prepared to say, but another opinion was expressed that complete service was not possible under such complicated rules and regulations as those which existed. The average tourist did not cavil at cost if he got what he wanted. From that point the speaker went on to say that, all things considered. New Zealand hotel charges were very high. In fact, he regarded New Zealand as having the highest cost of living of any country in the world.

On this subject Mr T. S. Smith remarked that he had met a man he knew in Wellington for the first time since he came to settle in New Zealand 20 years ago, and had. been told by his friend that a person was as well off in England on 35s to'4os a week as he was ip New Zealand ,on £4 10s a week.