HOTEL TARIFFS RAISED

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1949, Page 5

HOTEL TARIFFS RAISED

Press Associatien) '

; f Scaie Issued According To. - : ' Grade . V -j

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- WELLINGTON, May 1. The decision of the pnce TnbUtiM : on the application of the New.Zeaiattti United Licensed Victualiers' ' Asaooia . tion for authority to intre'ase accomuvo , dation tariffs in licensed hotels, issued today. ' ' * . . The decisigjn states that an'exaifixm\tjon of th/' dat-a . submitted reveaieo that in general the Tjar sid'e of the *tu clusory was; caTryih'g losses suffered pby the house side but the ihcieases neces : ary to recover house losses would ,oe; Xantastically high and Would briUi ; about anomalies. It was, also probable that such increases would' never he oh .! tained from the ;public - and woidd te- i sult in inbrdinately high prohts toi many hotels not primarily COncetneu with giving a good accommodation ser Vice. The Price Control Division reeommen decT that a solution to the probleui wa*. in a discrimination in a tariff revislo.i in favour of hotels mdi'e eoncemeu with the accommodation hspeet. Acdqrdingly houses in the three top grades— - luxury, iive star and four star service- - were entitled to more favourable tariff revision than all other houses. The aerage tariff in eacli of the three gradeghould be increased by an amount thai would extinguish housp losses, The division pointed out that this did not meau extinguishing house- losses in any par ticular hotel but that the adjustmeni should extinguish house losses over the whole group. The decision states that the Tribunai is satisfted that the industry can. no longer be held to 1939 tariff: rates -and that increases are not necessary, It accepts as basis the general submissions by the Division as mentioned above, and has decided: — Licensed hotels shall be graded for the purpose of fixing tariffs and applications may be made to the Director of Price Oontrol for the regrading ox licensed hotels. The following basic maximum tariff rates shall apply:-— Luxury class 33s 9d per day, five star plus 31s 6d, five staf 30s, four star plus 28s, four star 22s 6'd, three star plus 25s, three star 23s, two star 20s, one star 18s, ungraded 16s Although provision has beeh made for five star plus and four star plus, no hotels are graded in these grades at present. In a breakdown of tariffs, the Tribunai sets out charges for bed, breakfast, dinner and lunch, which are given :in that order, in the following exampvles:-— Luxury 15s, os, 8s 6d, 5s^ five star 14s, 4s, 7s 6d, 4s 6d; four s^ar ,1.2s 6d. 4s, 6s, 4s; three star 11s, 3s, 5s, 4s^ two star 9s 6d, 3s, 4s 6d, 3s oue star 8s, 3s, 4s 3s; ungraded 7s 6d, 2s 6d, 3s 6d, 2s 6d. All tariffs shall be subject to a daily sureharge of 5s for a private batbrooin, such charge to be spread over the num ber of guests to whom the bathroom ls available. The same applies to a pri vate shower, the sureharge in this ease

-being 2s 6d. For suites consistmg of :bedroom, bathroom, toilet and sittingroom, the basic tariff plus 5s for bathoom, plus 30s per day, shall be charge-i. Apart from early morning tea, an additjnal charge of ls is aubhorised for a meal served in a bedroom or a private .ittingroom, and "an additional ls 6d nay be charged for each morning or ifterno'on tea or supper served. For guests making a stay of one night only, i linen sureharge of 2s is authoi'iesd. tlhildren's rates have been fixed as ollows: — Exclusixe of extras, undei wo }*ears "no c^iarge, two to five years piarter tariff, five to 10 years half tarff, over 10 years full tariff. The Tribunai points out that hotel.ceepers are at liberty to charge lower ates than those authorised and adds hat the decision does not become oper.i dve until a price order which is being .repared by the Director of Price Conrul, is gazetted. The schedule showing the grading -of otels throughout New Zealand, is at ached to the decision. This shows that : »f the 222 hotels in the- North Island, hree are luxury, six are five star, 16 ire four star, 35 are three star plus, 10 are three star, 49 are two star and 13 are one star. The 159 South Island lotels are five five star, nine four star. :2 three star, 70 two star, 53 one star.