PLANS ASTRAY

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20738, 23 February 1939, Page 6

PLANS ASTRAY

TOURIST COMPLAINS BUNGLED ARRANGEMENTS “NO RECOMMENDATION" 3 1 1 (By Telec-rann—Pr®«« * ssoelstion) f WELLINGTON, Tuesday Dissatisfaction with the arrangeI ments made by the Government Tourist Bureau for his tour of the y North Island was expressed by Mr A. L. Backwell, a Geelong city councillor, before he left Wellington last evening by the Awatea on his way back to Australia. He and a com- * panion arrived at Auckland last week and spent six days touring the North ’ Island, visiting Tauranga, Rotorua and Hawke's Bay. I "Our tour was arranged for us hv J the Government Tourist, Bureau." Mr Backwell said. “I suppose you would call if arranged. About 80 per cent. ’ of the arrangements went wrong. ’ When they pave us ibis he exhibited an embosed leather ticket, and itinerary ’ wallet) "in Melbourne we expected from the appearanee of it that there must he something pretty good behind it, but we were disappointed. Since it was just two men travelling on their own if was not as had as it might j have been, but T do not know what j 1 we should have done if we had had - womenfolk with us.” 1 Reservations Cancelled j Mr Backwell said that in the first place the itinerary started six hours ; before the boat arrived in Auckland. - j The Awatea made port at 1.10 p.m. j on February 13. 10 minutes after her j expected time, but ihe two travellers 1 : found they were supposed to have j left Auckland for Tauranga at nine I j o'clock that morning. They had to j ; put off Iheir departure until next day. , : When they reached Tauranga they ! 1 : were no! expected there and found ! , that their reservations had been cal- i t celler], Tim hotel authorities, how- j ; ever, went to considerable pains to j accommm] He them. I ! \,. > f!ie service car by which they; ‘ j were booked to travel omitted to call 1 * : and the tourist authorities at Tau- j . ranga were not prepared to do any- { ! thing about it. Finally they were j 1 j obliged to hire a taxi to get to Roto- j | run. They were quile surprised to . find they were expected there. J Hiring Iheir stay at Rotorua. Mr ? Back well continued, they visited the ! ; local tourist bureau office four times, i 1 i\arh lime to rectify an error in ■ j arrangements. The officers of the j i

bureau were always very courteous and obliging. Robbed of Pleasure Everything went smoothly until they reached Napier, where they were put up in a fourth-class hotel. At Wel- ! lincrt.on they received the best Ireatj ment of their entire trip. They were j expected at the hotel and made comj fnrtable. but when they went to pre--1 sent, their receipts for their return ! tickets at the tourist, bureau they ! found that the Auckland district I manager had inadvertently addressed ! the slip to himself. Mr Backwell said thev had. in spile J ! of all this, greatly enjoyed the tour j ; and had been deeply impressed by , j what they had seen. However, it i | would be impossible for them to re- j I commend such service to their friends !in Australia. Unsatisfactory and un- ; j reliable arrangements robbed travel : j of a great deal of its pleasure. I I