15 after-balls axe liquor plans as the heat goes on

A licensing agency inspector says that functions may go ahead but not in an `all-you-can-drink' format. Photo / Getty Images

After-ball committees from 15 schools in Auckland have cancelled plans to hold functions in which parents provide alcohol to teenagers, following meetings with a liquor licensing agency.

Since a story last week in the Herald revealed plans for a Pakuranga College after-ball, and the police intervention that followed, parents of students from other schools have met Manukau's liquor licensing agency to discuss how they can hold legal functions.

Inspector Paul Radich said it was the first time he had had such a response from concerned parents.

"We've never had this kind of conduct, them wanting to meet us.

"But because of the media interest and the police crackdown, they have come in droves."

In a letter to 40 Auckland schools last week, police said any event where alcohol is being provided to minors, and tickets have been sold to gain entry, is illegal.

Excuses that the parties were private gatherings or with parental permission would not be tolerated and organisers could expect to be charged, the letter said.

But despite the warnings, organisers of the $55-a-head Pakuranga College after-ball, held in a vacant warehouse in Onehunga, took a van-load of alcohol to the venue intending to distribute it to teenagers. Police and Mr Radich found out where the event was being held and told parents they would be charged if they did not remove the liquor.

Mr Radich said he laid down the liquor laws to a group of after-ball organisers from eight schools in South Auckland, who had organised to meet him on Monday.

A commercial party provider, representing five after-ball committees for schools in Auckland, met him on Tuesday.

He had been in contact with two other schools, and at least two other schools had contacted police directly about providing alcohol to minors.

"They have all informed me that the parties will not be continuing in the format they had originally planned, that's the $60 all-you-can-drink thing.

"I can't say that means they have cancelled the after-balls - they may still be holding private functions at a private house - but as far as we know, they will not be doing things illegally."

Several Facebook pages have been set up on which thousands of young people have protested against the police crackdown.

More than 1600 had by yesterday signed up to one Facebook group which describes itself with the blurb: "Don't you hate paying $60 to go to a secret location to sip on Coke and dance with people you see every day at school?"

AFTER-BALL FORM OFFERS ALCOHOL

Parents of students at Glendowie College sent out permission slips for a $70-a-head after-ball - which they wrongly state is "completely legal" - where alcohol will be served.

The consent form is almost identical to one for a function to be held after Baradene College's official ball.

Baradene said yesterday it had told parents and students the event had to be alcohol free.

The form for Glendowie asks parents to consent that "alcohol may or may not be supplied by parents" and that students "too drunk" or suspected of taking drugs will be removed. It says buses will pick up from outside the official ball venue at midnight on June 26 and drop them off at the Crossfield Rd bus stop at 4.45am.

"This completely legal and safe event has been a success for many previous years and is a great way of celebrating school ball traditions," the form says. "It is a night that students will never forget as a part of their college life. This private social gathering is NOT organised by the school."

The principal and board of trustees chairman did not return several calls made by the Herald yesterday to see if the ball was going ahead.