Access to liquor a big problem

Press, 19 July 1979, Page 10

Access to liquor a big problem

Liquor’s increasing availability and its promotion are two big problems, says the newiy-elected president of the Licensing Trust’s Association, Mr 0. J. Henderson.

The public could become “sick” of the liquor question and vote for prohibition, said Mr Henderson, if these problems were not solved. Mr Henderson became

president at the association’s recent annual conference in Porirua. He held the position in 196768, and is also the chairman of the Invercargill Licensing Trust. One of the main problems the whole liquor industry faced was the great availability of licences, he said, and the availability of licences for other than traditional outlets.

The liquor industry had a tremendous capital investment, and if it was not protected, there would be a “whole host” of problems. Development of tourism was linked with the liquor side of the industry, and if the link was weakened, said Mr Henderson, the industry would not be able to do justice to tourism. Liquor sales, had played a “pretty big part in allowing the accommodation people to compete.” The day of “second-rate” facilities had gone and the New Zealand traveller was selective, he said. But tourist facilities faced high overheads with 24-hour, seven-day services, and if the liquor-tourism link was weakened New Zealand would price itself out of the market. Mr Henderson is also worried about promotion of liquor which encourages young people to buy and drink in bulk.

The wrong aspects of liquor were being promoted, he said, and it was no longer being advertised as simply a social amenity, but in its “rawest sense.”

The Government should take the initial step and say there was no need for the advertising of liquor in this way, said Mr Henderson. The brand should stand on its own, The Government must see it was properly controlled, and might also, have to consider, setting a minimum unit price below which liquor coaid not be sold. Such a move would cut out “pushing of booze.”

Everything the more responsible outlets stood for would “go by the board” if steps were not taken.

The Government was also under pressure to allow the sale of liquor, such as wine astd cans of beer, in such outlets as supermarkets, said Mr Henderson. There was now one licence in New Zealand for every '650, whereas it used to be about one for every 3000. If the problem was not corrected, said Mr Henderson, the publiq. could become tired of the liquor question and opt for prohibition. “That would wipe out a multi-million industry overnight.”