Licensing Districts Reduced To 22

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 16

Licensing Districts Reduced To 22

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. A new type of elective district licensing committee has been proposed to Parliament by the Statues Revision Committee, with the result that part 1 of the Licensing Amendment Bill has been completely rewritten. A number of other substantial amendments have been made. The bill, as introduced to Parliament, would have abolished licensing committees, and vested their powers either in magistrates or in the Licensing Control Commission. The Statutes Revision Committee, in reporting the bill back to the House today has provided for the division of New Zealand into 22 licensing districts —there are now 54—and for the election of five-man licensing committees, under the chairmanship of a magistrate, in each district. These committees will issue all types of licences authorised by the commission. In the original draft of the bill the commission was to itself authorise and issue all licences. Apart from Its magistrate chairman, each committee will consist of four persons, being members of constituent local authorities, who are elected by the constituent local authorities. The life of existing licensing committees is extended from December 31. 1961. until May 1, 1962, when the new committees will be elected for the first time. Members of the new committees will hold office until further elections are held following the triennial local body elections in November, 1962. In the new Auckland. Wellington, Canterbury and Dunedin licensing districts, the respective city councils will be entitled as of right to have one nominee automatically appointed to the district committee. The new licensing committees are empowered to recommend to the Licensing Control Commission tl it it should hold an inquiry in the district as to whether a new licence is needed. Committees may also make recommendations to the committee that licensed premises should be rebuilt. Tavern Licences As amended, the bill retains the system of tavern licences and new types of hotel licences proposed in the original draft, but makes some alteration to the fees payable. For example, the original draft proposed that wholesalers’ licences should attract a fee of between £5O and £5OO, and that on renewal of wholesalers' licences a sum equal to U per cent, of gross retail sales should be paid, after certain minor disbursements, into the Licensing Fund. The bill now proposes that new wholesale licences and the renewal of such licences should attract a fee of £lOO Provision has been made for the appointment of an advisory committee to assist the State Advances Corporation in dealing with applications for advances for the purpose of improving licensed premises. A new clause provides the machinery for a full system of appeals to the Supreme Court against certain decisions of the Licensing Control Commission. Another new clause imposes restrictions on the employment of barmaids. The original bill merely repealed

the earlier prohibition of employing barmaids. The new clause states that barmaids must be over 25. Fears that the relaxation of the stringent restrictions on the employment of women or girls in providing entertainments on licensed premises has led to the inclusion of a new clause designed to prohibit licensees from employing females, whether on salary or commission, for the purpose of drinking or dancing with guests. The licensing legislation of 1960 took the keg trade away from the wholesalers, and the original draft of the present bill restored this trade to them. As amended, the bill once again prohibits wholesalers from supplying liquor in kegs. A clause in the original bill empowered the commission to take into account, in considering an application for any one of the several types of hotel or tavern licence. the experience and competence of the applicant. Provision was made in the original draft of the present bill for the appointment of inspectors to serve the commission. One of the new amendments requires such inspectors to be employees of the Department of Justice.