THE MARINE HOTEL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12902, 13 February 1906, Page 7

THE MARINE HOTEL.

To the Editor of the " Timaxu Herald." Sir,—l think your leading article this morning on the hotel question, hit the nail in the. very csntre.' The travelling public will not stay at what is usually rather contemptuously spoken of as a . "hash "house." They realise that without v. license a hotel is not; usually clean and well kept, and unless driven there by want of accommodation during a few busy weeks of th 6 year such ,as Show week, wool sale week, etc., to patronise ;the coffee palace,; they .would stay at the licensed hchtsesr The real trouble is as you say, the want of security of 'tenure -owing to the triennial operation of the licensing law. It is a fact that the proprietor of a leading licensed "house is only too - ready to build and extend his accommodation, and is only .hampered: in his effort by the want of -enterprise of the. ground landlord who, only naturally, fears the depreciation of -his property by the possible carrying of prohibition in three years. : The accommodation for sea.-side visitors, and. families seeking rest and change of air, already exists in Beverley, and it is no use disguising the fact that what is required is a first class ■ap-to-date . licensed. hotel with heaps of zooms electrically lit, etc. But to build such a one would probably run into ten thousand- pounds, and you could hardly expect one man to find that sum in the face of the existing Licensing Act. Why should not the company now being formed, buy out on® of the hotels; close it up and use the license for their new up-to-date Caroline Bay Hotel.

I am, etc., PRO BONO PUBLICO.