The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1927. TOURISTS AND BARS

Southland Times, Issue 20171, 6 May 1927, Page 6

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1927. TOURISTS AND BARS

At the conference called to consider matters connected with the handling of the tourist traffic in New Zealand a point made on behalf of the licensed hotels was that they would undertake an expenditure of £1,000,000 in extensions and improvements if they had security of tenure. From the viewpoint of the hotelkeeper and the hotelowner there is undoubtedly a lot in this argument, but it does not follow that the loss of the licenses would affect the tourist traffic detrimentally, and strictly speaking a big increase in the tide of visitors from overseas would bring about an expansion in the accommodation apart from all question of the liquor bar. One of the representatives of the licensed victuallers agreed that the bar trade need not be depended on to provide the extra accommodation required for the tourists and in that admission rather damaged the suggestion that a longer interval between licensing polls would lead to improvements in the hotel. The suggestion that longer intervals between the polls on the liquor issue can be considered wholly on its merits without being introduced into this discussion—undoubtedly much may be said in favour of this change —because if the tourist traffic expands accommodation will be compelled to follow. Part of the trouble in connection with the accommodation for tourists is that, while it is quite good, and of a much higher standard than in the old days, it differs in several important details from the accommodation available in the older countries where the tourist traffic is heavier and ready to pay more for what it gets. American visitors are horrified by the bathroom accommodation, which, according to their ideas, is disgracefully scanty, and they bemoan the absence of dozens of facilities and attentions which are commonplace in most of the American hotels catering for this class of traffic without any assistance from the liquor bar. In the United States and in Europe the hotel business has been developed without leaning on the profits of the bar, but large moving populations have made their expansion possible, and in New Zealand numbers will bring about similar changes. Complaints in the main centre on the absence of the adornments of hotel comfort, if the term may be used, and this lack has been due to there having been no demand for them. The Government, too has not been free of blame in this matter. In some of the Government, accommodation places the arrangements have been niggardly and they will remain like that until it is recognised that the tourist from overseas has been to places where his comfort is the first consideration. People who have been to the popular European resorts and to Canada cannot be other than disappointed by the ugly buildings set apart for their accommodation by the Government. The tourist in the main is prepared to pay liberally if he can get what he wants, but too often he cannot get what he wants for love or money. Fortunately the danger of the conference developing into a “Dry v. Wet” argument was averted. It is to be hoped that the question will be considered apart from the liquor issue, because if that once enters the tourist traffic will be almost entirely neglected while the combatants reduce each other to powder. A great deal can be done without that issue being involved. Undoubtedly the accommodation in hotels and in Government houses can be improved to meet the special requirements of the traffic, and if necessary at higher* prices and the value of the investment in these improvements must depend on the traffic and population, not on any political issues.