Drinkers at beach spots mar festivities

Police enforce the rules at Paihia. Photo / Greg Bowker

Dozens of drunk drivers, many with sober passengers, were caught by police near a popular campground despite warnings and a highly visible booze bus.

Police were frustrated by the attitude of young motorists who were warned and told to spread the word, only to return hours later drunk.

Over a four-hour period yesterday morning, 37 people were caught over the limit on Nelson's Maitai Valley Rd, which leads to a popular New Year's Eve campground.

The 14 drink-driving arrests for the whole of Nelson Bays the night before on New Year's Eve paled in comparison.

The alarming spike comes as the Government "actively considers" Sir Geoffrey Palmer's Law Commission report to curb harmful drinking. Its recommendations include reducing purchase hours, introducing a split purchase age and expanding grounds for declining a liquor licence.

Acting duty minister for the Government, Gerry Brownlee, said the problem was "you can't legislate to make people smart".

"We have relatively pernicious drink-drive laws now and active policing of those laws," he said. "At the end of the day those people who are caught need to go through the system and wear the consequences."

The Government would "consider" the commission's recommendations, he said.

Meanwhile, Whangamata police were disgusted by the levels of intoxication over New Year.

Inspector Glenn Dunbier, area commander for the Eastern Waikato, said most of the 155 arrests were for alcohol-fuelled offending.

"To send the picture that there are merry revellers getting arrested wouldn't be accurate. The majority of people are grossly intoxicated."

He said there were a number of sick and aggressive people - "and all the things you get with alcohol" - at the station.

These were predominantly young men, aged 17 to 24, but there was an increasing trend of female drunkards. He was unsure how many were taken to hospital but said there were people in the "drunk tank" at the beach and St John had been called a couple of times.

A St John spokeswoman confirmed about a dozen people had been taken to hospital with alcohol-related issues.

Nelson Senior Sergeant Stu Koefoed said he was extremely concerned by the number of drink-drivers stopped in Maitai Valley.

"The most disappointing thing was a number processed were accompanied by people beside them who hadn't had a drink," he said.

The booze bus was purposely stationed in an obvious spot, with officers warning passing motorists.

"And they were still coming down [drunk], it was very disappointing," he said.

On the afternoon of New Year's Eve Nelson police were called to two alcohol-fuelled rapes. Mr Koefoed said there were "only four" breaches of the liquor ban.

Further south police were pleased with New Year behaviour.

Wanaka Senior Sergeant Allan Grindell said it was the quietest he had seen it in years, with four arrests for minor behavioural offences.

Mr Grindell said it was as quiet in Queenstown and police were "delighted with the outcome". But they were lucky to have a 24/7 liquor ban and 2.30am closing time in Wanaka.

"You don't get those last people hanging on for a last drink and coming out and getting assaulted," Mr Grindell said.

In the Bay of Plenty police were also pleased with a "significant" drop in arrests.

Spokeswoman Jacky James said their strategy to proactively police the liquor ban was paying off. In Mt Maunganui 162 people were arrested, predominantly for breaching the liquor ban and minor disorder, which was 73 less than the year before.

She said the Mount was getting more family-orientated. "We're really moving forward and we're starting to get young kids and families there right up till midnight whereas five years ago that never would have happened."