Counter Lunch.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1938, Page 4

Counter Lunch.

Opposition to the practice of many hotels in'serving “counter lunch” to customers at mid-day is evident among 'at least a section of the restaurant keepers of the Hawke’s Bay district. “It is not the function of an hotel to give away food,” said one restauranteur. “They would not like it if we gave away a glass of beer to each of our customers who want it. Of course, that would not be permissible under law, but the parallel is there all the same.” It is understood that, while a formal protest has not yet been made on behalf of the lestaurant proprietors, action in the matter may be taken shortly. Pine Trees Dying.

Pine trees in South Canterbury are being affected with a blight which, in the Mackenzie County especially is gradually killing off whole plantations 12 years old and more. The infection (says the “Timaru Herald”) has been investigated by officers of the Forestry Department, and because the top shoot is the first affected, has been called “terminal hypertrophy,” and is said to follow frost or other climatic damage. The leading shoot dies and the disease slowly spreads through the whole tree. There are many hundreds of acres of pinus insignis trees in South Canterbury; and if the disease spreads it would be difficult to estimate the total loss. The Mackenzie County Council has large areas planted in pinus insignis, and the blight has made an appearance in the plantation at Burke’s Pass. Tourist Traffic Grows.

Returns in recent years have shown a steady growth in Now Zealand s tourist traffic. In the years preceding 1930 the average was about 9000 visitors a year officially classed as tourists. There was a heavy drop during the depression, but recent years have shown a marked increase, until last year’s figures created new records both for tourists and for cruise liner visitors. The numbers were, tourists being given first, followed by cruise visitors: 1934-35. 8373, 4546; 1935-36, 9927. 4357; 1936-37. 11,348, 5949; 1937-38. 12.878, 6654. .These figures do not include through passengers, nor persons on business or with sporting or theatrical engagements. They are also exclusive of persons landing but merely in transit. Practically all these categories have also shown decided increases in the last few years. The Tourist Department estimated that a reasonably conservative figure for the value of the -overseas tourist traffic to New Zealand for the year ended March 31. 1938, was £1,200.000.