LICENSING TRUSTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27382, 6 May 1950, Page 7

LICENSING TRUSTS

Extent Of Government Aid PA WELLINGTON, May 5. The extent to which Cabinet had agreed that the Government should provide financial accommodation for local licensing trusts was outlined by the Prime Minister, Mr Holland, this afternoon. He said the Licensing Trusts Act passed-last year provided .that advances out of the Consolidated Fund may be made to any trust “for the acquisition of any property or the payment of any preliminary or general expenses (including salaries) payable by the trust before it has sufficient revenue for the payment thereof.” “ This." said Mr Holland, “ contemplates that finance will be provided by the Government only to enable the trust to get a start, but by all accounts people is some districts where trust control is favoured seemed to expect that the Government will stand behind them for whatever financial accommodation they require.” He wished to make it clear, therefore, that the Government was not prepared to shoulder the whole financial burden of those trusts or even a major portion of it. Those who wanted trust control must be prepared to back their opinions with their money. Mr Holland added that the amount for which the Government had already been approached for financial assistance for these trusts was in the vicinity of £500,000 and more applications were in the offing.