LICENSING BENCH

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 911, 9 June 1903, Page 2

LICENSING BENCH

WELLINGTON* COMMITTEE OUT LINE THE IK i’OLICY.

SECOND EARS TO BE ABOLISHED

LIQUOR MUST BE ANALYSED,

TEN O'CLOCK LICENSES ONLY

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, last night

At the mcoiiag oi the Wellington .Licensing Bencn 10-day tho inflowing statement was real on behaif of the elected members of the Bench :—"At tuts rue fits', meeting of the new licensing committee it uppeius fitting we should bin ily outline tne policy we have been elected to pursue. Tbe electors whom we here represent dec-idea in November lust that the existing licenses sbouiil continue for another three years, ana this mandate we feel bound to respect so far as it is consistent with the accomplishment of those urgent and necessary reforms which wo have been elected to i fleet. We do nut overlook the fact that a startling and damaging police report lay latent iu obscurity during the last general election, which, if it had seen light, would nave resulted in an unmistakeahie re iuction vote. On this assumption we do not intend to act, hut will exercise the power we have ol refusing licenses only in so far as it is absolutely necessary to effect reforms iu the conduct and accommodation. We have made personal visits of inspection to many uf tlie hotels, and have satislied ourselves their conduct is of more consequence to the community than their structure and size. We are anxious not to impose on the owners any obligations with regard to the extension or r> bunding, which some future local option pull may render hard-.-nip or loss, and will consequently he sails

tied with a reasonable amount of accoui modation, and content with due regard to the law on this subject, and to sanitary and tire escape observance. Dives and multiple bars connected with the streets aie, we believe, an evasion ui the law- anil uaud upon the revenue, and we will use our utmost endeavors to aoolish them. Analysis uf samples of liquors sent from several hotels duiing the last Uvo mouths shows the need ui systematic examination, in order to guard against adulteration. Ail attempt will be made to cope with this evil. To 10 o'clock lieeuses we are pledged, aud will therefore refuse all applications fur extensions to later hours. Already we have been pleased to note some improvement iu the conduct of tho liquor traffic in the community, and take this as evidenco that the promises of some of the representative men in the trade, that they will endeavor to promote reform for their own sake, are sincere.”

Memorials were iodged against the fol lowing hoteis: —Foresters’ Arms, Masonic, Imperial, Clyde, Quay, Western, Prince of Wales, New Zealander, aud Caledonian, iu each instance on tho ground of unfitness of the premises, aud iu some eases because they are tied houses. In his report to tho Committee, the Inspector of Police said : —With regard to the accommodation for travellers, 1 might point out that eight hotels have an aggregate of 438 bedrooms for the use of the public, whilst the othor forty have only 374 bedrooms, some of which are of very indifferent quality. There is clearly a shortage of accommodation in the city hutels, which is very marked in holiday time. As the population is increasing rapidly, a corresponding increase of accommodation for travellers is necessary, so that it would bo only reasonable to insist that every new building should have at least thirty bedrooms in addition to those required for tho licensee, family, and servants, as there is no probability of an increase of licensed houses in tho near future. Those who have existing licenses should, when rebuilding, he compelled to provide reasonable accommodation proportionate to the growing needs oi the city. In respect to fire escapes, I would suggest that every now building should have access from each room on tho upper floors to a substantial balcony, 1 do not think any system of fire escape short of this would be adequate for buildings where most of the inmates might he strangers.”

WESTLAND COMMITTEE,

A NEW LICENSE GRANTED,

By Telegraph—Press Association. Hokitika, last night. The Westland Licensing Gomuiittee granted ull applications for renewals. One publican and two accommodation licenses dropped out. The committee grunted a new publican's licenso in a scattered farm lug district within three-quarters of a mile of the existing accommodation license, in spite of an objection frum the ponce and residents of me district that no second license was required iu trie district, aud n prutest frum tliu Educutiun Board on the ground of the very close proximity to » school. At a later stage of the proceedings tne committee reUueed the leo of toe existing accommodation licenso iu the sume uistnct from £ls to £5. The com mittee also refused two new accommodation applications.

APPLICATIONS ADJOURNED.

TEN O’CLOCK CARRIED,

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, last night. Later.—The Licensing Committee adjourned until Tuesday of next week the question of granting licenses to,the following hotels, against which objections were lodged o by the police or memorialists : New Zealander, lioyal Tiger, Imperial, Masonic, Clyde, Quay, Prince of Wales, Western, Caledonian, Foresters’ Arms, Metropolitan, and Panama. The application for a license for tho Nag’s Head was adjourned for three months, in order to see how the place is conducted, and what condition it is in by that time. The Committee also adjourned ednsi deration of applications for licenses for tho followfng hotels, pending investigation into their position and the number of bars : —Hotel Cecil, Club, Royal Oak, Empire, Albert, Central, Oriental, and Pier. The Committee decided that all hotels should close at 10 o’clock, instead of 11 as heretofore.

THE NEWTOWN CASES,

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, last night. In connection with the claims to compel the Newtown Licensing Committee to grant licenses to hotels in Newtown, it is understood that counsel for the different parties have agreed to consolidate the actions, but nothing further has been decided upon. It is not improbable that in view of the nearness of next sitting of the Court of Appeal, application will be made to refer the matter direct to the higher Court.

NAPIER COMMITTEE REFUSE LICENSES.

Per Press Association Napier, last night. The Licensing Committee to day granted ten o'clock licenses, and renewed the licenses of all the hotels except the Marine Parade, Occidental, Exchange, Shakespeare, London, and Shamrock, the last

mentioned bring at Awatoto. The Committee stated that there was a suspicion that Sunday tradiug and gambling had been carried on in some hotels, notwithstanding the law, and if it were fouud that these practices were carried on they would take steps to deal with him.