Rejection Of 7 p.m. Closing In Auckland

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31500, 14 October 1967, Page 1

Rejection Of 7 p.m. Closing In Auckland

(New Zealand Press Association, AUCKLAND, October 13. The public gained a victory in the 10 p.m. closing dispute today when the Auckland Licensing Committee rejected an application by some of the major hotel-owning companies to legalise 7 p.m. closing.

The companies, who control nearly all of Auckland's hotels and were applying for a special exemption, included Dominion Breweries, Ltd, and New Zealand Breweries, Ltd.

They were backed by their licensees, 30 of whom gave evidence at the hearing in the Auckland. Magistrate’s Court Mr F. McCarthy, S.M., presided. Mr L. H. Southwick, who appeared for the hotel owners, said after the hearing that his clients would not make a new approach. “It would probably lake months," he said. “By then

the dispute might well be aver.” Making the application*, Mr Southwick told the com mittee that his clients were only seeking to close their hotel bars until the dispute was settled. "Under the present circumstances, they feel they annot comply with the obligations imposed on them by low ” he* said Unless they were allowed to close at 7 p.m,, their licences could be suspended and they were open to complaints from the public and the Inspector of licensed premises. “The simple fact is that bar employees are not-pre-pared to work after 7 p.m.,” he said. “Hence the applicants find themselves unable to meet their responsibilities.” Because proprietor* were unable to control the customers on their own, there had already been damage and violence in some-city hotels. “One man had 780 people in' two lounge bars and was only being helped by his manager,” said Mr Southwick. “It imposes an impossible burden on both licensees and owners.” ■ . “Could Be Trouble" Appearing for the. police, Inspector G. Rees said there had been a few Incidents because of 10 p.m. closing since Monday. '

He agreed with Mr Southwick that the staff shortage made proper control of hotel bars impossible, and there could be trouble over the Week-end. Questioned by Mr McCarthy, he said the police bad the situation well in hand, and would continue to keep it so. Declining the application, Mr McCarthy said it was not brought under the appropriate section of the Sale of Liquor Act, and the committee was powerless to grant the exemption. "To us it seem* very, clear that Parliament has decided that the Old powers which licensing committees had are no more,” he said. “But we sympathise with the difficulties in which the licensees find themselves.” The committee was impressed by the way hotels had handled the situation, but there had been few incidents and the police were capable of dealing with any trouble.