HOTEL LICENCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23601, 9 March 1940, Page 15

HOTEL LICENCES

HIGHEE FEES ÜBGED MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION PROPOSAL HEAVILY DEFEATED [by TELEGIIAPH —OWN connespon dent] WELLINGTON, Friday A Wellington remit usking that "consideration be given to the question of securing an increase in the fees paid for publicans' and wholesale licences, these fees having remained the same for very many years, although the extension of trade lias been considerable," was defeated by GS votes to 3.3 at the annual conference of the Municipal Association iu Wellington. Mr. T. Forsyth said that the 1040 fees were the same as in 1881 —publicans within a borough £4O, outside £25, wholesale £2O. In 1894 there were 1453 licensed houses; in 1939, 1032. In 1880 there was one publican's licence for every 368 persons, and to-day there was one for every 1573, Many publicans' licences existed in West Coast towns where they had practically no value.

Business was now much greater and more money was spent in hotels. It might not be fair to increase licence fees on the West Coast, where there was a superfluity of hotels. In cities and larger boroughs, however, population figures 'justified a 400 per cent increase. This was no exaggeration when itwas realised that licences had changed hands in Wellington in the last 30 years at from £SOOO to £12,000. Ivnown instances were £SOOO, £IO,OOO and £12,000. The value of these licences was increasing daily. Mr. P. M. Butler said that £4O a year was infinitesimal to the breweries controlling some hotels.