Verbatim report of House of Assembly Day No. 81, Friday June 27, 1930 as reported in The Royal Gazette July 2, 1930 pg 8

THE HOTEL KEEPERS ACT, 1930

Second Reading

Hon. S. S. SPURLING (St. George's Parish): - Mr. Speaker, this Bill has only just been distributed to members, but I propose to ask the House to go into committee, and if any question is raised in respect of it I will gladly carry the matter over to another day. It has been introduced on the solicitations really of the Bermuda Hotel Association. It has been found in practise some such reformation of the law, or provision, is really necessary to afford the hotel keepers protection in carrying on their business.

On motion of Mr. Spurling the Bill was read a second time and committed.

Mr. GOSLING in the Chair.

Mr. SPURLING moved clause one.

Mr. CRAWFORD (Pembroke Parish): - Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether this is the time to object to the Bill as a whole. I have read the Bill over, and while I am in sympathy with the hotel keepers, I do not like the principle of legislating along these lines. It seems to me that any person engaged in a private enterprise may discriminate against anyone who they do not desire to serve, if such service would be prejudicial to the best interests of their business. They would be perfectly within their rights in doing so; were I in a similar position I should probably do the same, but I really must say that I do not like the idea of legislating to assist such efforts. It does not appeal to me, and I think it would be better if the desired effect could be obtained by private arrangement or understanding. I am not in accord with this Bill because I do not like the principle involved in legislation of this kind. Such discrimination, I believe exists now, but the idea of legislating to assist that condition does not appeal to me.

Hon. S. S. SPURLING:- Mr. Chairman, the hotel keepers find themselves in rather a difficult position. This clause, of course, is a definition clause, but the principle of the Bill is to enable hotel keepers to refuse to register any person as a guest in their hotel if they wish. As I understand it, hotel keepers are in a position at the present time where there is considerable doubt as to whether they are in their legal rights in refusing to accept guests. There are occasions I suppose in every hotel when somebody will present himself whom they would rather not have as a guest, and it may mean serious loss of business if they have to accept. We all know we get various grades of tourists coming into the Colony, and there are various grades of hotels which accommodate the people coming in. It seems to me unreasonable that a man running a hotel business should not be able to select the guests he would wish to offer accommodation to. The hon. Member did not suggest any further time to consider this, but I am perfectly prepared to give it. Unless there is some suggestion along those lines I shall feel it necessary to move that the committee rise, report progress and ask for leave to sit again.

Mr. T. H. H. OUTERBRIDGE (Hamilton Parish):- Mr. Chairman, I fail to see how anybody can take exception to a measure of this kind. It must be in the minds of hon. Members that in running businesses such as hotel businesses people are likely to go to that hotel and make themselves so obnoxious in the place that it would drive other people out. I do not see hotel keepers should have to keep a person of that kind under the present law, when by a law of this kind it would make it possible for him to get rid of him, and to protect his other gests. I am sure if the hon. Member would look at it in the right light he would see that it simply offers protection to every hotel, and does not discriminate at all. It is simply putting every hotel keeper in what I should term the right position. When a man is in charge of a business and he cannot control it because of the public I think it had better be closed up.

Mr. F. C. MISICK:- Mr. Chairman, this Bill is designed not only to protect the hotel keeper, but as the hon. Member who has just taken his seat said, to protect the guests of the hotels from having people in those hotels who would not be in the main acceptable to those guests. Bermuda for some years past has been trying in every possible way to attract to this Colony the best class of traveller, and as far as possible to confine itself to attracting the best class. Bermuda has become very largely a volume proposition today, and all sorts and conditions of people come here and all sorts and conditions of people are taken care of at the hotels. Some hotels perhaps set a higher standard than others; some hotels would like to be in a position to keep out a certain class of traveller that might be prejudicial not only to their own venture of business, but might be of such a nature which would not be pleasing to the majority of their guests, and they should be put in a position where they can make that atmosphere which they wish to create about their hotels; the atmosphere the regular clientele wishes to have. It can only be done by a measure of this sort. I think I understand what is at the back of Mr. Crawford's mind, but I assure the hon. Member the purpose of this Bill is not what is passing through his mind, if I read that thought aright. It is a genuine endeavour to promote the hotel business, and encourage the type of people to come to Bermuda that Bermuda is most anxious to get.

- which was agreed to.

Clauses two, three, four, five and six were respectively moved by Mr. Spurling and agreed to.

The House resumed.

The CHAIRMAN reported the Bill and it was adopted and ordered to be printed.