The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]
Hotels
Hotels.
Commercial Hotel (Thomas Palmer, proprietor), Revell Street, Hokitika. This hotel was established in the year 1875, and acquired by the present proprietor in July, 1904. It is a two-storied building of wood and iron, and contains thirty-six rooms, including twenty-six bedrooms, three sitting rooms, a dining hall, capable of seating fifty guests, and a billiard room. Mr. Palmer was born in the year 1870, in County Antrim, Ireland, was educated in Belfast, and brought up to a mercantile life. In 1887, he went to Melbourne, Australia, by the s.s. “Cusco,” and was for about four years engaged in mining at Mount Morgan. Mr. Palmer subsequently gained experience in dairying in South Australia for two years. He afterwards came to New Zealand, and was dairy manager of the Mangatainoki Factory for two years, and. later, of a Teranaki factory for two years, Mr. Palmer was then for three years manager and secretary of a dairy factory in North Otago, whence he removed to the West Coast, and took up a similar position at the Tetara Flat Factory. In 1904, he bought the freehold of the Commercial Hotel in Hokitika. Mr. Palmer was for some time secretary of the Grey Valley school committee. He married a daughter of Mr. Andrew Todd, of Mount Morgan, Queensland, in the year 1893, and has two sons and two daughters.
Occidental Hotel (Mrs M. Woolhouse, proprietress), Wharf Street Hokitika. This hotel has been established for many years. It was at one time known as the “Swan,” and was conducted by Mr. Lynch, but was acquired by its present proprietress in the year 1903. The hotel stands on freehold land, and was re-built in the year 1900. It is a two-storied building of wood and iron, and contains twenty rooms, including eleven bedrooms, four sitting rooms, a commercial room, and a dining room capable of seating twenty guests. There is also a six-stalled stable in connection with the hotel.
Southland Hotel (Edward O'Connor, proprietor), Revell Street, Hokitika. This hotel was established in the very early days of the gold-fields, probably in 1865. It is built of wood and iron and contains twelve rooms; six of these are bedrooms, two are sitting rooms, and there is a dining room capable of seating thirty guests.
Mr. E. O'Connor.