Control Commission Wants Elective Licensing Ended

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28963, 3 August 1959, Page 8

Control Commission Wants Elective Licensing Ended

<New Zealaia Press Association)

WELLINGTON. August 1

The abolition of the present sys'em of elective licensing committees is recommended by the ! Licensing Control Commission, i The annual report of the comI mission was tabled in the House of Representatives. ! The commission advocates ; permanent licensing districts for I the whole country, which would in future be unaffected by changes in electoral boundaries. The commission favours a more even distribution of the number of publicans’ licences in each district. i For each licensing district there 'should be constituted a licensing I committee presided over by a Magistrate, assisted by Justices lof the Peace. The Justices shoul.l -be selected by the Minister of {Justice and should not exceed seven for each district. The appointment should be for a term and honorary. I Such a change would remove the danger of committees representing sectional interests being elected under the present system, .and the nomination of “tickets” representing such interests or 1 political views. Disapproval of suggestions for , the reduction of districts as at ■present constituted. following i local body boundaries and holding licensing committee e'ections with other local elections, is expressed by the commission.

They would merely perpetuate the present system and would bo fraught with the danger that larger population centres would have a preponderance of votes which would control the election of members of the committee. No other Commonwealth country had an elected body to control or take part in the administration of the liquor laws. Nor was such a method adopted in New Zealand to control or administer other forms of licensing.