SISBORNE HOTELS.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 102, 9 May 1901, Page 2

SISBORNE HOTELS.

IS THEBE SUFFICIENT ACCOMMODATION ? WHAT THE HOTELKEEPERS SAY. These has been a; at deal of tallc ill town during the p . week upon the subject of hotel a■_ jinin klation, and, as several letters h ■ a been received by us dealing with the matter, a representative of the Times interviewed the hotelkeepers to hear what they had to say. The proprietor of the first hotel upon whom our reporter called stated that his house was quite large enough to meet all the requirements of the trade. Taking it all the year round, he did not on an average have ten persons in the house each day, and, excepting at race and show time, there was any amount of accommodation for the travelling public. “The house is one of the largest in Gisborne,” lie continued, “ and you can see from - an inspection oi' the books that what I have stated is the c case. I say that thero is no scarcity of accommodation in respect of the hotels in Gisborne. There have been many nights here when we have had only four, live, and six in the hotel, and we havqmever been full unless there was something special on in town.” Mr J. A. Harding, proprietor of the Masonic Hotel, interviewed, stated : —” I can positively state that there are not three times in the year when my house is pressed for accommodation. The house is generally fairly full, but with the exception of show time, and perhaps if anything special is happening, wo are never full. I have no recollection at any time of turning people away.’ At show time wo have always made shake-downs for • persons whom we could not accommodate . with a room.” Mr Harding, in conclusion, said, “ I keep a proper register, and if i anvone wants to be convinced that wnat

I state is the ease he has only to come and see for himself.”

The third hotelkeeper whom our reporter called upon replied : “ I turn more away than I take in, and could do with double. the number of rooms. The hotel has very few bedrooms, and evon with putting two and three in a room wo can not provide for many.” In this case wo understood that additions of a substantial nature are to be made to the house at an early date. In the fourth case the landlady of the house remarked, “ Since we have been in the house we have never had to turn any-

one away for want of accommodation. The house is never more than three parts full, and a number of extra rooms which wo have recently added aro seldom used.” The bed-book which was submitted for our inspection showed that the house had not been full since race time. Number five stated :—“ We are always well patronised, but do not turn many people away. Perhaps three or four times during the last four months we have refused people.” In this caso a new building, containing upwards of forty rooms, is to be erected during the year, plans for the building being already out. In the case of the sixth house visited, the landlady informed our representative that the house was always full, with shake downs all over the place. Two, three, and sometimes four were put in a room. A person arriving in town at nine o’clock in the evening could not bo sure of obtaining accommodation. In the seventh case the landlord stated: “ I find on the average that the accommodation is adequate. If wo had more rooms we would not bo able to fill them. Taking the average incoming and outcoming, I can safely say the accommodation provided is sufficient. Of course we have three and four in some of the rooms, but whenever it is possible wc give each man a room. Oftentimes men coming in from the bush prefer to sleep two and three in a room. This evening wo have fifteen in the house,-and have seven bods still empty. That, is about-the average state, of affairs, and we never turn anyone respectable away.” The proprietor of the eighth house, in reply to questions, stated: “ The house is always full, and wc are constantly turning people away. Wo have three and four in a room, and shake-downs all over tho place. As far as I can judge, the hotel accommodation for Gisborne is insufficient.”