HOTEL SERVICE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19269, 10 March 1937, Page 13

HOTEL SERVICE

EFFECT OF NEW LAWS TOURIST’S SHARP COMMENT INDIJSTRY- ENT)ANOER E D Trenchant comment on the effect of restrictive legislation with regard to hours and service in the New Zealand tourist industry, which he regards as one of the Dominion's greatest assets, was made by L.ieuten-ant-Colonel A. T. G. Magan, of Kil--1 von Manor. Mill-o '-Down, County Meath, Ireland, who has been visiting Pembroke, Central Otago, in the course of an extended holiday tour of the Dominion. It is ids opinion that the tourist trattle, like trade in all commodities produced in New Zealand, must be earned by the supply ot: the best quality article. Lieutenant-Colonel Magan said that he was not greatly concerned at the increased tariffs that were to be met with everywhere in New Zealand today, nor would the average visitor take notice of them. The problem so far as he could see was to provide that increased service which must accompany the higher rates. .EXTEA HUE DEN ON HOSTS No one objected to paying for service, but if the Government persisted in imposing restrictive regulations on hotel proprietors and other which mad.q it impossible even to give that measure of service that was available under tin? previous labour conditions in hotels ami hostels, the effect on the tourist trade must bo serious. So far as he could see at present, the hosts and hostesses of the Dominion were carrying the burden themselves b\ unceasing work and long hours. The position was not fair either to thp tourists or to their hosts, and actually he could not believe that the Government would remain blind to the need for a lot of readjustment in legislation that was hampering the development of one of its chief industries. LIMIT TO OVERTIME “I have seen it in a dozen places in Now Zealand,” said LieutenantColonel Magan. “Hosts and hostesses have to take upon themselves all sorts of duties, early and late, because the staff has completed the requisite number of hours. It is not that hotel proprietors do not want to pay overtime or make every allow-

ance within reason to their staffs. There appears to be a point with regard to overtime beyond which an employer may not go, and when that point is reached what has to 'be done must be done by the employer himself. ’ ’