PRIVATE HOTELS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23370, 9 December 1937, Page 9

PRIVATE HOTELS

CURTAILMENT OF SERVICE AFFECTED BY LABOUR LAWS PROBLEM OF INCREASED COSTS (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Dec. 8. Difficulties in working a 44-hour week and in obtaining sufficient labour for their requirements are causing grave inconvenience to many of the private hotels in Auckland Several of the better class private houses have already ceased supplying luncheon and dinner, and only this week the proprietor of an other . well-known boarding-house was forced to advise his guests that he would be unable to cater for luncheons and teas. The house had been successfully operated for over 11 years as a private hotel and it was only on account of the difficulty in obtaining labour, the proprietor explained, that he had been compelled to turn his house into a bed-and-breakfast establishment. Since the new legislation governing the conditions and hours of work in private boarding houses had come into operation, he said, he had increased his takings by £ls a week. Costs had increased so much, however, that even with his increased receipts he was making less than he was before the new legislation had been introduced If the proprietors of private hotels were to be handicapped by any further restrictions many of them would be forced right out of business. Not only had the hours of workers been reduced and wages raised, but the price of produce and fuel had. shown a marked increase.

Other private hotel proprietors in the city agreed tHht labour was extremely hard to find. One hotel had advertised for a cook for several weeks and had not received a single reply. Housemaid-waitresses were difficult to obtain and registry offices were unable to find girls to fill vacant positions. “ I feel very sorry for the proprietors of the smaller private hotels,” said the manageress of one of the largest private hotels in Auckland. “ Many of them are having a terrible time.”