'Rude' tourist family leave Horowhenua how they found it

Thursday, 17 January 2019

A member of the unruly travelling family makes her way into the Hamilton District Court before the appearance of another member of the group on theft charges.

They were pleasant, tidy and paid what they owed. And then they left.

The owner of a Levin motel, where the 'unruly' tourist family travelling New Zealand stayed on Wednesday night, said the message to behave may have got through to them.

The motel owner, who didn't want to be named, said if the family had behaved elsewhere how they had at her motel, nobody would have noticed them – they were ordinary guests.

She said there was some haggling over the price, after they had already received a discount, but they were tidy, left on time and paid in full.

Do you have any information on this family? Email newstips@stuff.co.nz

Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen has no time for disruption in his region.

* Travelling family throws food on ground, demands refund from cafe

* Mob with kids leave rubbish, get aggressive at Auckland beach

* Garlic naan and an abandoned pram: The curious case of the travelling family**

'Not sticking up for them but perhaps they've got the message from New Zealanders?'

The family checked in at about 9.30pm Wednesday night, and it wasn't until the morning when the motel owner checked their licence plate, that she realised they were the notorious tourists.

Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen had earlier issued a stark warning to the family, not to misbehave in his district.

Feyen said if the family came to the attention of authorities while in the region, they would be 'dealt with'.

'New Zealand should get a bit more hard-arse … Shove them on a bloody plane and get rid of them.'

When told the group face deportation, Feyen replied: 'Good riddance'

He was unaware of any incidents in Levin involving the family.

The tourist family have caused controversy in New Zealand recently after they left beer boxes, bottles and baby wipes at Takapuna Beach at the weekend.

The group were also labelled 'rude' and 'ready to fight' after they threw food on the ground at an Auckland hotel and cafe.

The family caught the attention of police in Hamilton on Tuesday when they started causing problems at Burger King on Te Rapa Straight.

'They were walking through the drive-through,' the manager said at the time as police spoke with family nearby.