WAIMARINO WANTS LICENSED HOTELS SET UP

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 November 1950, Page 4

WAIMARINO WANTS LICENSED HOTELS SET UP

Government Moy < Take A Vote I PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Last Night I (PA).—The people of the Waimarino 1 electorate felt that they had a real' grievance and that they were entitled' to the same privileges and amenities as the people in any other part of , New Zealand, said Mr Kearins (Opp., Waimarino), opening the discussion; on the Imprest Supply (No. 5) Bill,: for which urgency was taken, in the. House of Representatives today. > Mr Kearins said that when the liquor referendum was held the Euro-' pean vote in the Waimarino elector-, ate was 12,563 in favour of continu-i ance and trust control, and 1869, against. But where the Maori vote! over the whole King Country area j was insufficient for the 63 per cent majority required, the Maori vote in the Waimarino electorate was overwhelmingly in favour of the estab-

lishment of licensed hotels. The Maori and European people in | the Waimarino area were going to j ask the Government to implement the decision made by them at the polls. If it was right for the Chateau Tongariro to be granted a tourists’ licence, then it was also right that the population in the area should bfe given the same privileges as visitors, continued Mr Kearins. There was one thing that the people in his electorate were “sore about.” It was the outside interference in their own affairs and the pressure put on the Maori people by certain outside groups. Mr Kearins said that in his opinion Ohakune, Raetihi and Ohura should each have one hotel and Tauniarunui possibly two. CLUB CHARTERS Mr Kearins said that the people In Waimarino were well satisfied with the deal they had received Irom the commission in connection with club charters, but they would not solve, the problem because the clubs did not provide *any facilities for any person not a member. The answer was licensed hotels. He said that he felt the Government had a responsibility to deal with the question as soon as possible. The Government could accept the vote ot

the people and act accordingly, or, If it had any doubts, it could have another vote taken on the matter. If the latter course were taken the people of Waimarino would want the vote confined to the electorate. The Postmaster-General (Mr Broadfoot) said he would have no hesitation in recommending to the Government that a joint European and Maori vote be taken on the licensing issue at the next election. The main objections to granting liquor licences appeared to come from people outside, the King Country area. Mr Broadfoot said that it might be possible to allow sawmillers, or someone else in the district, to run a partial club system to make liquor available to workers in the bush and others for whom there was little provision at present. However, if the local bodies in the area, which knew public opinion on the matter, would make representations on the lines discussed j today by Mr Kearins and himself, the Government would give the matter due consideration. “Today we are really a European community and entitled to the same amenities as the rest of New Zealand,” said Mr Broadfoot.