AGY-1177 | Licenses Reduction Board [II]

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The Liquor (Amendment) Act, 1923 reconstituted the Licenses Reduction Board from 1 July 1924. The Act authorised the Board to continue, however, the three members of the Board were now Licensing Magistrates and concurrently formed a new "State Licensing Bench". Any person "aggrieved by a determination of the Licenses Reduction Board in respect of compensation awarded" could appeal to the Land and Valuation Court where the matter would be dealt with "by way of rehearing". Every other determination of the Licenses Reduction Board was to be "final and conclusive" and not subject to judicial review. (1) The term "Colonial" in reference to wine was replaced by the term "Australian". (2)

The Liquor (Amendment) Act (No.49 1929) restricted the granting of new publican's or Australian wine licenses and the removal of publican's licenses from the Parramatta and Ryde Licensing Districts. Payments out of the Compensation Fund to cover the costs of the Licensing Magistrates, the secretary to the Licensing Magistrates, the secretary and officers of the Licensing Reduction Board, and the Board's administrative expenses were validated. "In the disaster year of 1932 the Licenses Reduction Board received an unprecedented 42 requests for cancellation or surrender of licenses". (3)

The supply of liquor in Australia was controlled under National Security Regulations from March 1942 to 26 March 1946 for beer and to 1 November 1946 for spirits. During this period public liquor supplies decreased because of the heavy allocations to Australian and Allied Service Canteens. (4)

The work of the Licenses Reduction was to continue with the regulation of the liquor industry through its assessment of renewal fees, re-issuing of publicans' licenses lapsed, cancelled or surrendered, assessment of compensation for licensees deprived of their licenses or for owners of formerly licensed premises. In 1954 the concepts of Bar Rooms and Public Bars were legally defined in amendments to the Liquor Act while Packet Licenses were extended to include aircraft. (5) In 1969 Publican's Licenses were amended to permit an endorsement as a tavern or accommodation hotel. (6)

The most significant change for the Liquor Industry was the development of Registered Clubs. Before 1947 the number of Registered Clubs was limited to 85, the number in existence in March 1906. Legislation in 1947 increased the permissible number to 414, and in 1955 this limitation was removed. Between 1960 and 1970 Registered Club Licenses increased from 1,229 to 1,455. (7)

The Licenses Reduction Board was reconstituted as the Liquor Administration Board under the Liquor Act, 1982 (Act No.147 1982).


FOOTNOTES
(1) Liquor (Amendment) Act (No.51 1923) Section 29 relating to Section 24 of the Liquor (Amendment) Act (No.42 1919).
(2) Ibid. Section 33.
(3) Golder, Hilary High and Responsible Office A History of the NSW Magistracy, Sydney University Press, Sydney 1991 p. 154.
(4) New South Wales Year Book 1955 No.54 p.317
(5) Liquor (Amendment) Act (No.50 1954) Section 16 and Subsection 64.
(6) Liquor (Amendment) Act (No.73 1969) Sections 26b & 26c.
(7) 'Liquor Licensing in New South Wales' Progress Vol. 10 No. 1, June 1971 p.14.