Festivity decision appals retailers

Press, 10 December 1984, Page 4

Festivity decision appals retailers

PA Auckland Auckland business people recovering from Friday’s riot say they are appalled by the Auckland City Council’s decision yesterday to allow New Year’s Eve celebrations in Aotea Square. The president of the Central Auckland Business Association, Mr Max Johnson, said yesterday that a ban on liquor in the square would not stop the same troublemakers going on the rampage again.

“They have had a taste of the excitement of breaking shop windows and looting. They are not going to stop now,” he said. “They are anti-Establish-ment and that is the most prestigious thing they can do with all those bright lights and nice shop fronts. “They will kill central Auckland — there will be no city.” Mr Johnson said that a public meeting of all central city retailers was being called for Thursday and he

expected a strong reaction against the City Council’s decision. “We have been telling them for some time that there has been a problem, but they haven’t been listening,” he said. “We are the ones who own the buildings and businesses. We pay 50 per cent of the rates and we want 50 per cent of the say.” An Auckland branch spokesman for the Insurance Council of New Zealand, Mr Stuart Batty, said

most businesses hit by the violence should be adequately covered. Most business policies covered the risk of vandalism and malicious damage, he said. He did not expect insurance companies to be overwhelmed by claims when offices open today. Only about 60 shops were involved. With the number of insurance companies in Auckland there would be no big rush, he said.