N.Z. HOTELS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1926, Page 1

N.Z. HOTELS.

MINISTER’S REPLY To COMPLAINTS. DUNEDIN. Fell. 3. Speaking at the Exhibition Directors’ dinner, the I Ton G. J. Anderson said that as Minister for Publicity and Marine he had had one or two complaints from visitors to the Exhibition. But those New Zealanders who travelled by steamer some forty or fifty years ago would have been very glad to sleep in the alleyways of the niagniccnt steamers that we had to-day. AA'here. he asked, had the great company that owned these steamers originated from? ft had originated from Dunedin, and the same was true of most of the great companies and

institutions of the Dominion. Then it was complained that our hotels were not up to the American standard, and that in some, eases (hey were not oven as clean as they should be. That complaint- had been made to him in AVollingtnn bv an American visitor only last week. He (Mr Anderson) had said it before in public, and he would sav it again, that there was no excuse whatever for hotels not being clean. U was urged in excuse Hull the tenure of our hotels was not long enough, hut dial excuse was not valid. The American visitor referred to had suggested, and he agreed with him. Unit lintels should not base their tariff at all upon the receipts from the bars but upon tbe aeeominodation they provided, for to use any of the receipts from bars to provide accommodation for visitors savoured to him of charity, and he did not think the people wauled charitv.

Tlie visitor in question had said Ilial if wo wanted nuire visitors to tins country front tlie United States we must provide proper accommodation. He Olr Anderson) knew tliat tliero were many monikers of tlie Chambers of Commerce present, and that they were interested in getting American visitors hero. If they were to get those visitors, however, they must see to it that the accommodation these Americans required was provided, and that at least there was proper cleanliness in our hotels. He. as Minister for Publicity, and the Government had been condemned for not advertising 'New Zealand sufficiently overseas, hut he assured them that- the Government had done its best in that way in the past, and it was now spending twice as much as ever before in advertising the Dominion abroad. Unless, however, proper accommodation was provided for these people, all the Government's advertising would he wasted.