DEFICIENT ACCOMMODATION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143762, 10 April 1912, Page 2

DEFICIENT ACCOMMODATION.

During the last week or so the accommodation provided in New Ply* mouth for tho travelling public and tor visitors has been very severely taxed. At some if not at all of the licensed hotels scores of applicants for accommodation have had to be refused, simply because there was no room available. Tho same applies, possibly in a lesser degree, to boarding-houses and unlicensed hotels. Wo do not, of conrso, suppose that it is the normal condition of all these places to be full up, but wo do know that many people are deterred from coming to New Plymouth to spend their holidays because of the difficulty of the accommodation they desire. Thus tho town loses the profit derived from a floating population, and, further than that, it often loses the chance of attracting permanent residents. Hero we have one of the prettiest, healthiest, and pleasantest places of residence in New Zealand. Nearly every visitor goes away delighted with the town and eager to come again, possibly to settle down, at any rate to spend other holidays. Yet many, when they arrive, have to hunt around for accommodation, while many others, taking the precaution to inquire for accommodation beforehand, find it is not procurable, and go elsewhere for their holidays. How is this to bo overcome? It is impossible to obtain licenses for more hotels, oven if tho licenses were required, and it is almost as difficult to induce tho owners _of hotel property to enlarge existing houses in tho direction of greater boarding accommodation; Possibly the Licensing Committee might bring some influence to bear On the owners. The Want might otherwise be mot by highjClass unlicensed hotels, such as are to ' be found at places like Rotorua, where families could find reasonable accommodation during holiday visits. There is room for enterprise hero in lhat direction, especially in view of the rapid growth of the town which is likely to take place in tho immediate future.