HOLIDAY CLOSING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 673, 27 October 1933, Page 4

HOLIDAY CLOSING

The proposal made by Cr. O. H. - Coleman at- the jneeting of the borough council on Wednesday evening regarding an amendn/ent of the law as applying to h'oliday trading is a novel one so far as New Zealand is concerned, ;and for this reason it may meet with a sceptical reception. In the first place it is extremely unlikely that Parliament would pass such an amendment and secondly, it is doubtful if the community of Rotorua would speak with a united voice on the subject. But admission of this attitude does not alter the fact that there is a lot behind the proposal which justifies impartial consideration. The idea is only new so far as this Dominion is concerned. Even in conservative Old England acknowledged holiday resorts are placed upon a different footing to ordinary trading centres. Week-end trains pour into the big seaside resorts where places of business and amusement are kept open for the convenience and pleasure of the visitors. Rotorua is upon a similar footing in New Zealand, though certainly upon a smaller scale. But as the thermal centre stands to-day it is a reeognised holiday town, a place to afford attraction to visitors and opportunities to them to see the wonders of the region in pleasant eonditions. As the premier tourist town of the Dominion it has very good grounds for claiming special eonditions to fit in with the special features of its community life. Nothing is more depressing to visitors than the appearance of a closed up town. Bright lights and the stir of general activity is most essential in the creation of good impressions. Yet time after time excursion trains land hundreds of visitors in town when there is nothing but the bubble of the geysers to bid them welcome. This is. not only bad business, but it is unfair to the visitors, especially to those from overseas who are aeeustomed to more broadminded gaiety. Rotorua can provide unsurpassed natural attractions and if the region is to be looked upon as a national asset provisipn should be made to present it in its most attractive and cheerful aspect to holiday visitors. There are no insuperable obstacles in the way of adjusting working hours. The

1 main difficulty to be encountered is the breaking down of prejudices which have become almost second nature with a large seetion of the people in New Zealand. The question is one which requires ' careful and impartial investigation, and the repor.t of the committee will be awaited with interest.