W. Samoa and the

Tourist Business Visitors Discouraged by Hotel Conditions

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, June 20.

IFF W. Samoa, having finally I thrashed out the pros and cons of tourism, decides that the in lustry is one worth cultivating, the :ountry may find itself saddled with very bad name to live down.

Recently, travellers who have pent some time there have come way with a very bad impression, liven tourist agents who have topped over longer than the brief •eriod that the TEAL Solent re gains are admitting that there is denty to grouse about.

At at least two of the hotels TEAL day” is known as “hot water lay”— the only day in the week /hen hot water flows from the taps. )n that day the management makes tself evident. For the remainder f the time the places are run by he staff according to the degree of heir tropical lassitude.

In one hotel special crockery is Iso brought forth on “TEAL day,” o be hastily replaced by the well hipped utility ware as the Solent’s lotors die in the distance. Though he tariff is 28/- per day, there is io choice of food on the menu and he average person, to stave off unger, has to supplement it by eat ng out.

Towels are changed once per week -less frequently if there are no omplaints. Tropical fruits, accord ng to one overseas tourist, are bsent from hotel menus.

The tourist dreaming of gorging imself on the best of pineapples, ananas, oranges and other fruits are in cooler climes, finds that what > available is usually of poorer uality than the same article avail ble back home.

Tourists who expect to find de cious fruit salads —and plenty of ;e cream—as a regular item on the lenu, are advised to stay at home y Americans and others who have ecently been in Apia.

Laundry is another discourage lent; shirts cost 2/-, trousers 3/nd other items are in proportion; le work often poorly done.

More than one tourist arriving in uva recently has let it be known lat he will certainly warn his fiends off Samoa as a tourist play round; and some claim that Suva > not much better.

“Before Americans start pouring aeir dollars out along the Coral toute things will have to be a lot etter than they are,” one American mrist agent declared. “A shortage f accommodation is no excuse for fie poor standard of the existing ccommodation and services. The lakings are there —and Americans

are prepared to pay—lF they get the service.

“My impression is that though some Samoans oppose exploitation by tourists, they are all unanimous as regards exploiting the tourist.”

If Captain W. Whitefield, who is due to retire from the Union Steam Ship Co. next year, will take com mand of the company’s trans pacific freighter Waitemata for the remainder of his service, after delivering the old Aorangi to ship breakers in the United Kingdom. fl Dr. Ray Dudley, a distinguished Indian Minister of the Methodist Church in New Zealand, is to con duct a mission in Fiji in August- September. Dr. Dudley is recog

nised in New Zealand as an out standing preacher.