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(c) HOTEL ACCOMMODATION The hotel industry (both licensed and private hotels) recognizes its responsibility of catering for the tourist trade, including both overseas tourists and the internal travellers of New Zealand. Recommendations : (1) That price control in all departments of the licensed trade and the hotel and tourist industry be abolished. (2) That the present restrictions on the importation of wines and spirits act as a deterrent on tourist trade, and this committee recommends that the Government be requested to relax these restrictions. (3) That this Accommodation Committee acknowledges the existing authority and responsibility of the Licensing Control Commission to authorize and regulate the supply of hotel accommodation in New Zealand, and recommends that the Commission be supplied with a copy of the minutes of thisconference and consider, in particular, the aspects of the tourist trade of the Dominion. (4) That this committee strongly recommends : (a) The immediate immigration of suitable workers, male or female, for the hotel industry, but urges extreme care in the selection of these suitable workers ; and further recommends selection by a person with a thorough knowledge of the living and working conditions and endorsed by the industry. (b) Staff instruction for all phases of the industry in co-operation with the Government Tourist Department and the Hotel Workers' Union. (5) That the Government should be approached to give greater priority than at present toapplications for building or extending hotels catering for the tourist trade, and the Customs Department to facilitate licences for the importation of the necessary furnishings and fittings. (6) That it is the opinion of the committee that there is insufficient accommodation available at all Government hotels and hostels, and the committee urges the Government to take immediate action for the improvement and enlargement of existing accommodation facilities. (7) That it is the opinion of this committee that the holding of internal conferences during the summer tourist season causes undue congestion in hotels and interferes with the tourist trade, and the committee recommends that such conferences be not held during the months of January, February, March, and April, unless unavoidable. It requests the press to give publicity to this statement, and recommends that all organizations proposing to hold conferences should confer with the local Licensed Victuallers' Association before announcing the dates. ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES Mr. L. J. Schmitt, who lias been associated with, the Department for many years,, first as New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner in Australia and since 1935 as Permanent Head, ceased active duty soon after the close of the year in review, prior to entering upon retirement leave. The General Manager designate, Mr. R. W. Marshall, 0.8. E., is a former officer who for some years represented the Department in North America and during the war was engaged in other Government duties in that territory. Latterly, he has occupied the position of New Zealand Government Trade Commissioner at Washington, United States of America. Mr. Marshall is expected to take up duties latfer in 1950. CONCLUSION The comparative statement of turnover at Government Tourist Bureaux, departmental hotels, reserves, &c., is as follows : £ 1949-50 .. .. .. .. .. 2,003,915 1948-49 .. ... .. .. .. 1,738,542 Increase .. .. .. .. £265,373 1938-39 .. .. .. .. .. 782,376 Increase over best pre-war year „. .. £1,221,539

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (909 copies), £52 10s.

By Authority: R. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.—1950.

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