RE LICENSING COMMITTEE
Sir,— Although not greatly given to acting the part of "Pro Bono Publico", the volume of articles and letters which has appeared recently in connection with the above article, has impelled me to contribute my quota. My first impression is that it is all to the good to see so much interest being taken on this occasion. It is sincerely to be hoped that all we have read in your recent issues does indeed indicate genuine public interest, and is not the output of persons with individual axes to grind. t The present situation which is the subject of so much criticism appears to be the direct outcome of regrettable lack of interest r on the part of the general public for many years past. It is to the credit of those few voters who did interest themselves in the matter that the members of past committees have invariably been citizens of integrity and of good standing in their own communities.
My own impressions on the various points which have been raised are as follows: 1. Preponderance of Rotorua representation. Before Rotorua became the headquarters of the Bay of Plenty Electorate, it was the headquarters of the Rotorua Electorate, and' St that time all the members of its Licensing Committee hailed from Rotorua. At the following election, owing to their larger voting power, these men could probably have retained their seats, but fortunately they took the wider view, and two of them stood down in order that Opotiki and Whakatane might be given representation. A sound reason for a majority of the Committee being resident in Rotorua is that it enables routine matters to be dealt with expeditiously. 2. Ticket. The ticket system has been more or less forced upon the Committee as without it there was always the probability that there would be offering insufficient candidates to constitute a Committee. The fact that on this occasion so many candidates have offered themselves could not reasonably have been foreseen, even though it was known that the new Committee would be dealing with the allocation of several new licenses.
3. Polling Booths. These are certainly few and far between, but they have been more than ample to cope with any poll recorded in the past, and it is doubtful whether the local bodies (in effect the ratepayers) would appreciate being required to finance a coverage similar to that provided at General Elections. No doubt, however the large number going to the poll tomorrow will result in more booths being provided at the next Licensing Committee election. Yours etc., F. PRIDEAUX. Whakatane, March 12. *
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BPB19500313.2.12.1
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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 9, 13 March 1950, Page 4
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435RE LICENSING COMMITTEE Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 9, 13 March 1950, Page 4
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