Bus tour operator in liquidation

Feilding-based bus tour operator Wonderful Kiwi Tours has been put into liquidation owing thousands of dollars to staff and stranding travellers.

Several thwarted travellers were in the High Court at Palmerston North yesterday to hear the order being made. No company officials were present.

Keith Harris of Feilding, one of the company's bus drivers said yesterday he and two other drivers were owed about $20,000 in wages.

He said he found out about the company's collapse wrong when his eftpos card was rejected. He later learned two fortnightly wage deposits had been reversed.

Wayne John Deuchrass and Iain Andrew Nellies of Insolvency Management Ltd, Christchurch, have been appointed liquidators.

John Orpet, who had booked a 23-day South Island holiday with wife Yvonne for their 40th wedding anniversary, said the company had not sounded like a "fly-by-night operation".

The Orpets paid a $700 deposit on their trip -- 10 per cent of the cost.

Mr Orpet said he and his wife felt confident about Kiwi Tours when they saw logos for Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand and the Bus and Coach Association on the company's paperwork.

But they later learned the Tourism Industry Association "knew nothing" about Kiwi Tours.

An insurance company has refunded the Orpets the cost of their travel insurance.

- NZPA