VISITOR FROM WALES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26472, 28 May 1947, Page 6

VISITOR FROM WALES

SIR WILLIAM WILLIAMS SAW FAMOUS MATCH “ One of my greatest claims to fame in the eyes of many Australians and New Zealanders is that I saw the game between Wales and the .AH Blacks in 1905, when the home side won by three points to nil, in one of the most memorable Rugby, encounters of all time’.’ This remark was made to a Daily Times reporter last night by Sir William R. Williams, a former Lord Mayor of Cardiff, and a member of the Cardiff City Council, who, with Lady Williams, arrived in Dunedin last evening. Sir William has been touring Australia and New Zealand mainly in the interests of the Independent Order of Rechabites. of which he is a high chief ruler. “ Most of your people seem to have forgiven my countrymen for their defeat of the 1905 All Blacks,” Sir William added. “ Both Lady Williams and myself have been received in the friendliest manner wherever we have gone in the Dominion.” Hotels Praised Visitors to the Dominion have often been critical of the hotel accommodation provided, but both Sir William and Lady Williams were eulogistic of the high standard of the hotels in which they have stayed since they first landed in Australia. ‘“I have stayed in about 20 hotels on our trip,” Sir William said, “ and as I do a great deal of travelling in the Old Country, I think I am in a position to make a reasonable comparison between the accommodation provided by licensed hotels in England and in Australia and New Zealand I have no hesitation in saying that, on an average, the facilities and ' amenities provided for the travelling public at Home are much inferior to what we have seen in the Dominion. As a traveller, I would certainly like to see the English hotels come up to the same standard.” Closing Hours Sir William mentioned that he was in Sydney when the referendum was taken in New South Wales on the question of the later closing of hotels. " I was gratified, as a life-long temperance worker, to see how emphatically the people turned down the proposals for later closing. In Britain, hotels do not close until 10 or 11 o'clock at night. The earlier closing in Australia and New Zealand is certainly reflected in the behaviour of the crowds in the streets at night. There is no comparison between the orderly crowds in the Melbourne and Sydney streets and those in the large industrial cities of Britain.” Sir William and Lady Williams will be accorded a civic reception at the Council Chambers at 11 a.m. to-day. To-night Sir William will be the guest of the local Order of Rechabites, and to-morrow he will be entertained by the Rotary Club. The visitors will leave for the north on Friday on their way to Auckland.