Court: Gaming club’s demise not voluntary
Tokoroa’s Pockets 8 Ball Club was forced to close by the IRD owing near $800,000 in unpaid taxes.
The revelation comes in the wake of manager Wendy Cook’s claims that Pockets was ‘‘winding up’’ after withdrawing from a controversial club merger with the Olde Establishment and the Putaruru District Services and Memorial Club.
The merger proposal was put forward in 2015 but was yet to be signed off by the Department of Internal Affairs.
It was set to see a mega gambling venue open in Tokoroa’s Bridge St with 30 pokie machines.
In a statement Cook, who is also a South Waikato District Councillor, said the extended timeframe had put financial pressure on the club.
‘‘The only responsible thing to now do is to wind up and go into voluntary liquidation,’’ she said.
But Rotorua High Court documents reveal the liquidation was not voluntary at all.
The Commissioner of Inland Revenue had proceeded to have the club put into liquidation due to it owing $755,710.22 as at October 2.
That included $164,841.37 goods and services tax,
$184,552.52 PAYE tax deductions,
$397,622.42 gaming machine duty tax, $1704.47 KiwiSaver employee contributions, $1129.90 child support deductions, $1307.95 student loan deductions, and $3490.90 employer superannuation contribution tax.
The club was served on September 10 but failed to pay which resulted in Inland Revenue presuming the club to be insolvent and unable to pay its debts.
A request was then made to have the High Court put the club into liquidation under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908.
Associate Judge Hannah Sargisson ordered the defendant company be put into liquidation by the court under the Companies Act 1993 on December 11.
Cook could not be reached for comment.
South Waikato Mayor Jenny Shattock expressed shock on hearing the club had been taken to the Rotorua High Court and put into liquidation.
‘‘When did that happen, they told me they went into voluntary liquidation?,’’ she said.
She said the council was not aware the club owed Inland Revenue anything when it granted site approval for the merger.
Pockets 8 Ball Club, Pockets Pool Lounge, and Pockets Central Wine and Coffee have now closed.
‘‘The only responsible thing to now do is to wind up and go into voluntary liquidation.’’