"Grudging” Service At Mangere

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30954, 10 January 1966, Page 1

"Grudging” Service At Mangere

The “casual” attitude of desk staff at Mangere airport is deplored by a New Zealander who now lives in Canada.

Mrs Madeleine Hamilton, of Toronto, said in Christchurch on Saturday that she was deeply concerned lest other visitors, given the kind of grudging service she received at Mangere. would get a misleading impression of New Zealanders. New Zealanders were basically kind and friendly, as tourists found after they had been in the country a short time. But this might not be) the impression on their arri-| val at Mangere. “The staff at Auckland air-j port, which is the terminal

for so many international airlines. should remember that they represent New Zealand to overseas passengers,” she said.

“They should be sent to Honolulu airport to see what courtesy and service willingly given means to visitors.”

The contrast at Mangere after Honolulu was amazing, she said.

“Arriving at Auckland’s ‘great new airport’ which 1 had read so much about, was a bit of an anti-climax,” she said.

Mrs Hamilton told how she had tried to put a toll call through from Mangere airport to Napier to let friends know she would be six hours late. She asked for a Napier telephone directory at the information desk. The girl said she did not have one aud did not

know' where she could get one unless, possibly, at the Post Office counter.

“I explained my dilemma to the girl, who said casually that my friends would be told when they arrived at the Napier airport that my plane would be late,” said Mrs Hamilton. “She said she could send a teleprinter message if it was really urgent. But she did not mention whether I would get a message back, and was obviously not enthusiastic about sending a message at all.

“The Post Office official was more co-operative. But when my call came through he indicated vaguely where to take it—a niche in the wall —and I could hardly hear for noise around me.” The airport was not busy. It was almost empty. i

“I have now heard that the name Mangere means ‘lazy’ in Maori. How about that?” Mrs Hamilton said. At the Christchurch airport Mrs Hamilton found the staff most courteous and helpful, and film travelogues. If tourists were wanted in New Zealand they should be made more welcome and given better services, beginning at Mangere, Mrs Hamilton said.

Cars Collide.—When two cars collied at the intersection of Fitzgerald avenue and Cashel street about 9.20 a.m. yesterday two persons were injured. Marco Mattiuzzi, of 325 Pine avenue, was treated at the Christchurch Hospital for head, arm and leg injuries and was discharged, and Amelia Mattiuzzi, of the same address, was treated for head injuries and was discharged.