Capital Planned

Hotel With Native

For Rabaul

From a Rabaul Correspondent A tourist hotel with local Guinea capital is well on

he way to becoming a reality

iere in this volcano-ringed New Britain town.

A NOTHER 12 to 18 months should C*. see the hotel built and working —the only Territory hotel with native capital and with native direction.

The idea was conceived last year >y a Rabaul European who wants to emain anonymous until certain per onal arrangements are adjusted.

Vith three other Europeans, who are imilarly placed, he approached a lumber of native leaders and sug ;ested that a company be formed to >uild the hotel, offering £1 shares vith a minimum holding of 10 per •erson.

Land Problem

The Europeans made no secret of be fact that Tolai participation was lecessary because of the difficulties if Europeans acquiring land in the xea, and because the future political ituation was uncertain for a purely European venture.

The Tolais, who are shrewd lusiness heads, conceded the idea vas good, and at a well-attended neeting late in 1965 village leaders iromised support.

A board of management compris ng five natives and four Europeans 5 now ironing out the details and effecting money. There have been ►remises of £20,000 of the initial !50,000 required. One village gave ! 1,000 and another £1,400.

The hotel will be built in sections, nd enlarged as money becomes vailable. Three sites, all native ►wned, are being studied. One is iear the airport, one on the harbour oreshores and a third on Namanula fill.

The management committee plans hotel with an Islands flavour, after he style of some of the newer hotels n Fiji. Tourist tours would be or anised in conjunction with it.

There would be regular Islands

nights in the restaurant. These are not yet seen in New Guinea, although they are standard practice in the eastern Pacific.

“The hotel will be nothing spec tacular—but will be smart, neat and clean, with good service,” explained one of the committee.

“In Rabaul these days it is a case of take it or leave it, and that’s not good enough.

“We believe Rabaul has a real tourist future, especially with a quickening of the air services from Fiji through Honiara.

“Rabaul will be an important staging point for people going in either direction.”