Council Confirms Trust Decision

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32019, 20 June 1969, Page 16

Council Confirms Trust Decision

“The public should be quite clear that if there is any prospect of success, we will immediately avail ourselves of the opportunity,” said the chairman (Mr D. B. Rich) when the Waimairi County Council last evening confirmed its decision to withdraw, at this stage, its town-planning application for a trust-controlled tavern site at Avonhead.

Mr Rich said that notice had been given by a firm that it was applying for the right to transfer a hotel licence to Avonhead. The Licensing Control Commission, he said, could refuse the transfer, and could issue a new licence.

The council decided to investigate further the proposal and, if feasible, to take further action by lodging an objection, and applying for a poll to be taken on the transferring of a provisional hotel licence to Avonhead. The council decided to convey its concern to local members of Parliament, and to ask them to ask the Government to change the legislation' to enable councils to form licensing trusts. “The legislation is stacked against us,” said Cr G. G. Don. “We are hamstrung unless the law is changed.” Cr R. C. Neville said he was by ho means sure a majority of people wanted

trust control. He had found that private enterprise hotels were much better than trust hotels from the public’s point of view. Cr A. A. Adcock said that where trusts had been formed there had been strong public support for the idea. The views of the public should be obtained. The council also agreed to ask the National Party, Laboour Party and Social Credit Political League to state their views on changing the legislation. Mr Rich said he had received a telegram from the North Canterbury Council of the Licensed Trade, claiming that he had over-stated pub-

lie support for a trust “I think the public would vote _ 70-30 in favour if it went to a poll," he said. Cr F. J. Aitken said that whether the withdrawal was right or wrong, it was a breach of standing orders. Mr Rich said he had consulted councillors beforehand.

Crs F. G. Blogg and 0. C. Mitchell said Mr Rich hid acted properly. Cr R. C. Harrow, on whose land the council has a $50,000 option to buy a tavern site, withdrew while the question was being discussed.