Law a blast from the past for cyber cafes

By WAYNE THOMPSON

A law created to deal with the space invader craze is being dusted off to help police tackle problems with youngsters spending late nights in internet cafes.

A report by Waitakere police says one of the city's internet cafes in New Lynn often has "five to six persons collapsed over computers asleep".

Sergeant Brian Louden told Waitakere City councillors that a bylaw could help put a stop to situations such as schoolchildren playing games at internet cafes at 3am and 12-year-olds falling asleep there.

He said it was undesirable for school-age children to be on these premises until early morning when "one would hope they would be resting for the next day of school".

Internet cafes had become more like high-tech gaming parlours than educational facilities.

"I'm yet to see kids doing their homework in one," Mr Louden said.

Instead, children played internet games such as "Battlefield 1942" for $2 an hour or $5 to $10 for an all-night session.

Police saw restrictions of operating hours as a solution to problems at some premises with underage patrons, minor criminal offending, drug use, intoxication, disorderly behaviour and youth gangs.

The council's compliance manager, Alan Ahmu, said internet cafes were a new phenomenon for the city.

They had been seen as a way of providing ready and convenient access to the internet for gathering information, email and cyber shopping.

But complaints about some cafes had prompted an inspection of premises, which found the main attraction in them was playing computer games.

A 1990 bylaw for amusement galleries, designed to control billiard halls and space-invader-type games arcades, could be applied to any internet cafe.

Under it, operators must seek a licence.

The licence can restrict opening hours, ban children being on premises during school hours and require premises to meet council standards.

Police have welcomed restrictions on opening hours as a solution to criminal offending and other problems.

But cafe owners see it as a threat to their businesses.

Most responded by seeking dispensations so they could open for 24 hours, seven days a week.

Councillors last week turned down three bids for dispensation made by people who the police said were bad operators.

Full-time operation was allowed for three cafes which received clean police reports.

The Herald found later that two of the cafes on the police bad books had closed.

The other rejected applicant, Bruce Wang of X-net Cafe in New Lynn, said he would appeal against the decision.

He said the cafe, which had been open for a year, had been a trouble-free and safe entertainment place.

"I can't understand why they apply these outdated laws to us.

"The police may as well say, 'Everyone stay home - don't go out'."

Mr Wang said his cafe had the most modern software and hardware in Auckland and was popular because of its fast internet connection and rates.