Liquor Licences For Deep-Sea Fishing Resorts?

Northern Advocate, 15 July 1949, Page 6

Liquor Licences For Deep-Sea Fishing Resorts ?

WELLINGTON, Fri. (P.A.).— Deep-sea fishing resorts and fishing lodges had a strong claim to receiving a share in the allocation of tourist house licences. Counsel for the Government Tourist Department (Mr C. M. Irvine) said this in his concluding address to the Licensing Control Commission yesterday.

“Perhaps I am going too far, but it is quite obvious that an allocation of 25 licences is not enough to meet existing requirements, and I hope that will be one of the first amendments you gentlemen will recommend to existing legislation,” said Mr Irvine. “We are severely handicapped by the small number of licences available, and the commission is going to

be faced with a very difficult task in distributing the two or three that will be available,” he added. ROTORUA PROBLEM One of the most difficult problems lies in Rotorua, where the four public houses have only 148 bedrooms between them. “Possibly the solution lies in improving the facilities of existing hotels, including renovations and repairs, and perhaps removal to another site.” Mr Irvine added. The chairman (Mr A. M. Goulding, S.M.): There is not any legislation allowing a licence to be moved to another site. Mr Irvine: Cancel it. Mr Goulding: Drastic. Mr Irvine: In that case it is one of the commission’s functions to make recommendations for amending the regulations. Mr Irvine added that, tourists going to outlying places round Rotorua had to carry liquor with them, and there was no doubt that wheel they returned Ihey never brought back any surplus. These remote places where liquor was not readily available were more deserving of licences than towns where there were some facilities. • the largest guest house, it would supply only 80 people living there, and the few that came for meals. The only solution there was for granting a full publican's licence. IMMEDIATE ACTION. "Even then I would not like to be the holder of that licence on New Year’s Eve, with 8000 visitors outside the house all demanding drinks,” Mr Irvine said. “It is a lengthy task to make these allocations, but in some cases there must he some outstanding ones which could be granted almost immediately." He asked whether the commission could make an interim announcement so that the fairly lengthy procedure of getting licences issued and various structural alterations made could be shortened. He also asked if the commission intended to hear evidence on fixing fair prices. The chairman: That is a matter on which' I cannot give any actual determination, except to say that it is ! under consideration now. As far as ; asking for an early pronouncement is concerned, the commission will go into t.he whole of the evidence, and if it is able to make any decisions it will make them known as soon as possible.