Hotels Advised Of Rights In New Law

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31519, 6 November 1967, Page 14

Hotels Advised Of Rights In New Law

Hotelkeepers have been advised by the New Zealand Hotel Association that a bar which during the day is regarded as a house bar, lounge bar or private bar can be labelled by a placard or in some other way as a public bar during the evening.

If this is done, none of the ordinary public bars need be kept open during the extended evening hours, but the bar being used must operate on public bar prices. This is one of the points made by the association in an explanation of the new licensing laws. There had been some difference of opinion whether the legislation required at least one bar, normally a public bar, to be kept open through the 11-hour trading period. The Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) had advised that this was not the true interpretation of the legislation and the obligation of a hotel or tavern was merely to open at all lawful times at least one bar which for the time being was marked or designated as a public bar. In its advice on the discretion of licensing committees to fix hours, the association

says different hours may be fixed for different days of the week or different periods and that it is permissible to seek an order for a closing period during any day. While there is no restriction on hotels or taverns making off-premise sales at any time during the period of 11 hours applying to the premises, there is no obligation to keep a bottle store open in the evening.