THE STIFLING OF TOURIST TRAFFIC.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4923, 11 January 1895, Page 2

THE STIFLING OF TOURIST TRAFFIC.

The Wanganui ' Chronicle ' reports an interview with General Sir Percy Feilding to show how badly tourists are treated. To begin with, the party comprised Sir Percy self, himself, his wife, the Lady Louisa Foilding, Miss Feilding, and Captain Feilding, A.D.O. to the Governor of New South Wales, who is at present on leave. In giving a gouoraldescription of his experiences on tho river, tho General said he found the accommodation at Karioi very rough, but ho felt confident that the good people there had done their best to provide for the comfort of himself and party. He himself was an old soldier and could put up with a good deal, and therefore made tho best of the straw shakedowns and rough food. At Pipiriki, however, they were past endurance, especially for the ladies, They were unfortunate ill arriving there at au awkward time, the settlers, surveyors, camp men, etc—who formed a lot of good fellows -being in the thick of their Christinas sports; but there was no excuso for the treatment meted out to him and his party by the people who were supposed to provide accommodation for tourists. They were told practically, if not in so many words, that they were only stray travellers, and would have to bo satisfied with what the regular patrons of the place left. Indeed, it was not until late at night that they were supplied with anything at all, and then, after being told that all the bread was gone, they were given about eight eggs and a pound of biscuits between them. Sir Percy visited tho kitchen, and he declared to us that, had he done so before partaking of what little lie did, he would rather have gone entirely without. One of the people in the house was so drunk that ho was ultimately knocked clown and dragged by the heels outside. When the General's party applied for sleeping accommodation, General Feildinj* and his son were shown into a small room without beds, and told that that was all they could get. But they were not allowed lo occupy even this place in peace, for a person came to them just as they were about to lie down on their own cushions and rugs, and informed them that they would have to " get out of that" and take a shakedown in the dining room, or else allow another gentleman tocome in for the night. Sir Percy refused these terms, but it was not until he had forcibly ejected the intruder that sleep could bo bad. The ladies fared almost as badly, being placed in a room 9ft x 7ft, with two beds, and subsequently charged for three on the ground, so they were informed that had they not been in there the room would have been occupied by three men. In the morning the party disgusted with the treatment, left the house, and sat under the trees until the arrival of the canoe with the mails, when negotiations for their conveyance down the river wore completed.