WORRIES AT CANBERRA

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 938, 3 April 1930, Page 8

WORRIES AT CANBERRA

M.P.’S GET BEST ROOMS IN HOTELS CIVIL SERVANTS IN CORNERS Now that the Commonwealth Parliament is in session again, accommodation difficulties have arisen in Canberra, because of the necessity of finding food and shelter for a temporary population. The shortage of accommodation has been accentuated by the closing of the Hotel Acton, which has caused much dissatisfaction among public servants. More than 30 people have been transferred from the Acton to the Hotel Kurrajong, which has been almost exclusively occupied in the past by members of Parliament. This hotel is now very congested and many complaints are being made by civil servants and others at the smallness of the rooms, and the flimsy partitions, which are anything but soundproof. Residents of the Hotel Kurrajong who have been relegated to dark and obscure corridors are indignant at the fact that the best rooms in the house are reserved for Federal members, who use them not more than two or three nights a week, and pay only for the nights on which they are used. Although these choice rooms are reserved for the full week, they are lying idle for more than half the time. High Tariffs The Hotels Kurrajong and Wellington, which are now full, are the cheapest in Canberra. Permanent guests pay S 3 15s a week at the Kurrajong and £3 5s at the Wellington, but outsiders or casuals have to pay £5 10s and £5 15s. There are vacancies at the expensive Hotel Canberra, but the tariff there is beyond the purse of the average civil servant. To relieve the congestion at the Kurrajong and Wellington about 15 members of Parliament are to go to the Canberra on a bed and breakfast rate, which previously was regarded as quite below the dignity of the Hotel Canberra. Complaints that £I,OOO a year members of Parliament are crowding lower-paid civil servants out of the cheaper hotels are not: regarded seriously by the Federal Capital Commission. The Chief Commissioner, Mr. Christie, said that members were entitled to every consideration because many of them had to keep tyro homes going and were put to heavy expense.