Liquor fees 'too steep'

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 474, 23 February 1993, Page 5

Liquor fees 'too steep'

Liquor licence fees should vary according to the volume of alcohol likely to be sold by the applicant, the Ruapehu District Council believes. At last Friday's meeting the council received a report on the council's district licensing agency for the 1991-92 year. Councillors decided to lobby the government for a change in the fees structure so that small clubs were

not hit so hard by the fees, and so that fees could be set to recover the cost to the council of carrying out the agency operation. "We express our concern to the authority who sets the fees, that they are punitive towards small non-profit service organisations such as Lions and small sporting groups," said the recommended resolution. Because the fees at present did not cover the cost

of the agency, ratepayers were effectively subsidising it, the council heard. "And the fee structure impacts to a far greater degree on some than on others," said general manager Cliff Houston. An example given was the recent application from the Ruapehu Lions Club, who had to be charged more than $600 for their licence. Cr Stuart Shaw asked if the council received any

more money for handling problems after the licence is given. He was told it did not. FOOTNOTE: There was some jocular north-south banter during the debate when, in reply to Bob Peck who said there were many clubs selling liquor without a licence, Eddie Turley said he must be referring to clubs in the southern wards as all clubs in the north were law abiding!