ASHBURTON LICENSING TRUST FIRST ANNUAL REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDED 31st MARCH, 1950

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1950 Session I, H-24c

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1950 NEW ZEALAND

ASHBURTON LICENSING TRUST FIRST ANNUAL REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDED 31st MARCH, 1950

Presented to Both Houses of the General Assembly Pursuant to Section 43 (3) of the Licensing Trusts Act, 1949

MEMBERS OF TRUST Messrs. G. Kelly (Chairman), J. F. Cleary, A. F. Wells, E. A. Cockroft, W. B. Thomas, and H. C. B. Withell.

REPORT

. 27th April, 1950. The Trust is constituted under the Licensing Trusts Act, 1949, and the members thereof were elected at a poll of electors of the district held on the Bth February, 1950. PERIOD OF FIRST REPORT As the members of the Trust were declared elected on the Hth February, 1950, the period of this report is for only a brief period,

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MEETINGS HELD DURING THE PERIOD ' Seven meetings were held during the period, besides several committee meetings. A number of inspections of properties and localities were also made. In addition, members attended public meetings at Mayfield and Mount Somers where discussions took place on the requirements of those districts regarding accommodation and sales of liquor. The Trust has been fortunate in obtaining the co-operation of the Ashburton Borough Council which consented to the appointment of the Town Clerk as Interim Secretary, together with the use of its office for meetings and of its typist and office appliances. The Trust wishes to record its appreciation of and thanks for such ready and willing co-operation and of the efficiency and care with which the staff have performed their tasks and conserved the interests of the Trust. A solicitor and architect have been appointed and it is anticipated that the services of a general manager will be required in the near future. Licensing Trusts at Invercargill and Masterton having been in operation for some years it was thought advisable to confer with those bodies and seek their advice. Consequently, Mr. E. B. Barnett, General Manager of the Masterton Trust, at our invitation, spent some days in Ashburton, and after an inspection of the locality provided the Trust with much valuable advice and information. Information will also be sought from the Invercargill Trust. THE ASHBURTON TRUST DISTRICT The area of the district comprises the Ashburton County (less that portion served by the Methven, Rakaia, and Chertsey licensed hotels), the Ashburton Borough, and Tinwald Town District with a population in the vicinity of 13,000. This population, however, is unevenly spread, there being approximately 8,500 in the borough, 700 in Tinwald, and 4,000 in the county. The main centres of the county within the Trust District are Mount Somers (thirty miles), Mayfield (twenty-two miles), and Hinds (twelve miles) from Ashburton, with a population of only a few hundred in each, but are centres of highly-developed and prosperous districts. HOTELS Prior to prohibition being carried in 1902, there were six licensed hotels in the Ashburton Borough in addition to the Ashburton Club and M.S.A., a chartered club, while liquor was also sold at the railway refreshment-rooms, and there were five hotels in the country districts now served by the Trust. They were as follows : Somerset Hotel, corner East and Burnett Streets. Commercial Hotel, corner East and Peter Streets. Central Hotel, Victoria Street. Devans Hotel, corner Havelock and Cass Streets. Royal Hotel, Moore Street. Ashburton Hotel, East Street, near Bridge. Hotels at Tinwald, Winslow, Waterton, Mount Somers, and Alford Forest. Since then most of these premises have disappeared, there being only four now in existence : Commercial Hotel, now converted into flats. Grand Central, formerly known as Central Hotel. Somerset Hotel. Mount Somers Hotel.

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In 1925, when restoration was carried, the Ashburton Club and M.S.A. again commenced to sell liquor under its charter and has over the period of years built up a large membership and probably sells the cheapest liquor in New Zealand. The Trust is fully aware that the sales of liquor for consumption off the premises by the club will be very severe competition to them. POLICY OF TRUST The policy of the Trust is that which is set out in section 26 of the Licensing Trusts Act, 1949 : (1) To provide accommodation and other facilities for the travelling public. (2) To establish and maintain hotels and suitable places for the sale of refreshments and intoxicating liquor and to establish and maintain premises for that purpose. It is felt that, as soon as possible, the Trust should acquire premises and provide accommodation of a high standard in Ashburton, and with this end in view it should open negotiations with the owners of two private hotels, the Somerset and the Grand Central, provided that reports on the condition of the buildings is'satisfactory and that they can be converted at a cost which will be economic. Failing a satisfactory report, consideration should be given to the erection of at least one new hotel. Meantime, to comply with the decision of the electors for the sale of liquor, a number of bottle stores (two at least) should be opened as soon as possible and funds built up for development purposes. The country district (Mount Somers, Mayfield, and Hinds) also requires full consideration, and negotiations have been entered into with the proprietors of the Mount Somers Hotel. The people of this district at a well-attended meeting requested the provision of a hotel, which they stressed was more than fully warranted by the everincreasing primary and secondary industries of that district. At Mayfield, a public meeting requested the provision of a bar and bottle store, followed later by a hotel. The Trust is sympathetic and will investigate and give every consideration to their wishes. Hinds, also, on the Main South Highway, should be considered for similar attention. In these districts there is an opportunity for a further service to the travelling public by the provision of refreshment-rooms and conveniences. FUTURE POLICY With the provision of two hotels and two or more bottle stores in Ashburton and one in Tinwald, the present needs of the town should be met, leaving it to the future to decide what additional accommodation is necessary. GENERAL Members of the Trust have taken a great interest and are giving fully and freely of their best to ensure that Trust Control shall be a success. They fully realize the heavy responsibilities of office and that every care must be taken to lay a foundation on which the future of this method of control may be firmly established, in accordance with the decision of the electors of the district. FINANCE To cover the cost of preliminary expenses, it has been necessary to arrange, through the Minister of Finance, for a bank overdraft of up to £l,OOO. , G. Kelly, Chairman,

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Income and Expenditure for Year Ended 31st March, 1950 Expenditure ' Income £ s. d. £ s. d. Excess income over expenditure .. 18 4 6 Conditional licences .. ' .. 18 4 6 £lB 4 6 £lB 4 6 Balance-sheet Liabilities A ssets £ s. d. £ s. d. Accumulated Fund .. .. 18 4 6 Cash Bank of New Zealand.. .. 18 4 6 £lB 4 6 £lB 4 6 Ashburton, 27th April, 1950. R. C. Major, Interim Secretary. Examined and found correct.—J. P. Rutherford, Controller and Auditor-Greneral. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (664 copies), £7 10s.

By Authority: R. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington. —1950. Price 3d.]

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