MINORS IN BARS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31113, 16 July 1966, Page 16

MINORS IN BARS

Heavier Fines Urged Heavier fines were needed to discourage minors from drinking in hotel bars, the secretary of the Canterbury Hotel Workers’ Association (Mr L. N. Short) said yesterday. In many cases fines were only 30s or £3. and minors seemed to regard the possibility of being fined as a challenge, he said. Mr Short was commenting on a Press Association report that the New Zealand Hotel Association and the Hotel Workers’ Union were considering an approach to the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) for substantially increased penalties for minors found on licensed premises. Many complaints had been made to the union by members fined for serving minors, Mr Short said. When a barman was convicted, his fine was usually three or four times that imposed on the minors. The issue had become more serious since hotels started providing more modern facilities. In large bars with provision for sit-down drinking, a barman could not carry out his work and at the same time accept responsibility for ensuring that under-age drinkers were not present. There seemed to be a lack of supervision by hotel licensees on Saturday afternoons in particular, he said.