XN000022-1982-01-20 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1982

*THAT IS TO SAY. HE NOTED, +1 AM NOT CONVINCED THAT IT IS EITHER NECESSARY, DESIRABLE OR PRACTICABLE FOR MEMBERS OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED PROTECTION IN RESPECT OF THE QUALITY OF SERVICES ACTUALLY RENDERED, FOR THESE MATTERS MUST ESSENTIALLY BE LEFT TC INDIVIDUAL SELECTION AND JUDGEMENT.+

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH HAD BEEN CLOSELY MONITORING THE INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF THE COMPLAINTS MADE BY MEMBERS OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC AGAINST TRAVEL AGENTS.

BROADLY SPEAKING, HE SAID, THESE COMPLAINTS FALL INTO TWO MAIN CATEGORIES: FIRST, THOSE BASICALLY DIRECTED AT THE QUALITY OF SERVICES RENDERED THROUGH THE TRAVEL AGENTS AND SECOND, THOSE BASED ON FAILURE BY THE TRAVEL AGENTS TO PRODUCE THE SERVICES PAID FOR IN ADVANCE, POSSIBLY EVEN WITH CRIMINAL INTENT TO DEFRAUD.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THAT SINCE 1979, THERE HAD BEEN A TOTAL OF SEVEN CASES IN THE SECOND CATEGORY, ALL OF THEM INVOLVING THE CLOSURE OR DISAPPEARANCE OF THE TRAVEL AGENTS FOLLOWING THE IR RECEIPT OF SUBSTANTIAL DEPOSITS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

IN 1979, THERE WERE TWO SUCH CASES AFFECTING 344 PERSONS AND INVOLVING OVER $700 000.

LAST YEAR, THERE WAS ONE SUCH CASE AFFECTING SOME 2 500 PERSONS WHO HAD PAID UPWARDS OF $4.5 MILLION TO AN AGENCY THAT HAD BEEN SET UP IN BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS.

THIS YEAR, FOUR AGENTS, ALL OF WHOM HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED NO EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER 1981, ABSCONDED WITH OVER $4 MILLION PAID BY 3 278 PERSONS.

FURTHER AND MORE DETAILED INVESTIGATION INTO ALL THESE CASES IS PROCEEDING.

+SOME OF THESE CASES MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF THE AGENCIES INVOLVED GETTING INTO SERIOUS CASH FLOW DIFFICULTIES, + MR JEAFFRESON SAID.

+CHARGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN ONE OF THE RECENT CASES AND IT WOULD BE IMPROPER FOR ME TO COMMENT, AT THIS STAGE, UPON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE MOTIVES OF THOSE INVOLVED, HE ADDED,