LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2520, 5 June 1909, Page 2

LICENSING COMMITTEE.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of tlie Licensing Committee for the Gisborne electorate was held at the Court-house, • at noon, yesterday. Present: Messrs. W. A. Barton S. M. (chairman), G .E. Dartoii, Malcolm McLeod, and A. Dewing. The Chairman welcomed the new members of the Bench; and regretted the absence of the old committee. In the past everything had worked satisfactorily and mosa harmoniously,. He also regretted the absence, through an accident, of Mr. Duncan Hepburn. » POLICE REPORTS. The following were the police reports on the conduct and condition of the hotels in the district:— Sergeant D. D. Hutton, officer in charge of the Gisborne police district, reported: “I respectfully report that the conduct of hotels in Gisborne and suburbs lor the year has, on the whole, been good, and all that could be desired, with one or two exceptions. Last quarter I had to give an unfavorable report of the Turanganui Hotel, and it was held over by the committee to this meeting pending further supervision and report of police. I am pleased to state that the licensee of this hotel has since conducted it satisfactorily, and there hasi been no further ground for complaint. During the year two informations were laid for breaches of the Licensing Act against a licensee, one of which was dismissed, and in the other a. conviction recorded. The license) was transferred, and the hotel is now conducted with satisfaction. On looking up tlie records gf persons convicted for drunkenness, I find that there is no diminution in the convictions for this offence, but that they are on a par with last year’s records. One matter which again calls for comment is the selling of liquor for consumption off the premises, which is largely responsible for the amount of drunkenness that prevails. In many instances unscrupulous persons purchase liquor in small bottles handy for the pocket, which finds its way to prohibited persons, and I am convinced that if greater care was exercised there would not be so many cases of procuring liquor a© have come under my notice during tlie past year. Tlie upkeep of hotels in the borough and suburbs of Gisborne is all tliat can be desired. Ample provision is made in case of fire in each hotel. Sanitary arrangements are excellent, and in no instance have I any recommendation to make this time. Progress can be reported, additions and alterations in brick to the Gisborne and Royal Hotels, refurnishing at the Record Reign and Royal Oak (Matawhero) hotels, improved sanitary arrangements at Waerenga.-a-hika Hotel, and many other improvements for the convenience of the public at other places. I have found that the licensees of this district! .are in all instances ready to carry out any reasonable suggestion by the police in this respect without burdening your committee. Complaints have been made that at times Maoris from other districts experience great difficulty in obtaining accommodation here. Due inquiry will be made if sucli is tlie case, and whether hotels arc full as stated or not, and if such is not the case, will be immediately reported.” Mounted Constable G. Dandy reported on the Waerenga-o-kuri Hotel as follows:—“I respectfully report that I have inspected tlie abovG-n3.ro ed hotel, and found everything satisfactory. During the past twelve months there lias been a number of improvements made to this hotel, eight new rooms having been built and the old building painted and renovated throughout. The bouse andl furniture are in good repair, and everything is very clean. The stabling is ample and good, and during the time Mr. Harry Cooper has held the license of this hotel there lias been no complaint.” Reporting on tlie Lake House (Tmoroto) Hotel, Constable Dandy stated : —“I have inspected that hotel, and found everything correct. The. house and furniture are in good repair, and everything is very clean. Mr. J. S. Cooper, the licensee of this hotel, has under construction a- new additional building of eight* rooms, which, when complete, should be a great convenience to tlie travelling public. He also intends to renovate tlie old building throughout. The stabling is good and ample, and during the past twelve months there have been no complaints re this hotel.” - „ n , . Constable) W. D. Luke reported as follows on the licensed houses in the Wairoa police district : “Wairo a , Hotel, George Brown Oman, licensee: On the 27th April last I inspected this hotel, and found" the house and premises in good order and condition, clean and well kept, good and sufficient fire escapes being provided. During the past twelve months this house has been well conducted. Ferry Hotel, licensee Peter Crarer: This hotel was inspected by me on April 27th, 1909, and I found that; the building was very much m need of a coat of paint- outside. Bedrooms No. 3. 4, 23 and 24, the passage in the upstairs of the old portion ol tlie building, and the ball leading from the side entrance arc all badly in need or repapering, and the dining-room ceiling requires repainting. Other than tins •the premises, etc., were in good order and condition. During the past twelve months this house has been well conducted. Marumaru Hotel, Licensee James Murphy Thomas: On April 28th last I inspected this house, and round the now portion of it clean and well kept, also the furniture, etc,, everythat could be desired. 1 he old portion - 0 f the hotel is much in need ol rebuilding. In this part there are two bedrooms! for the use of the public. These I found nicely furnished and everything in. order. This portion of the building is old and delapidated, and no longer fit for occupation. 1 under•stand that) the new portion of . this house, which is at- present singlestoried was built so that a second story could be added to it at any time it was found necessary. That being so if the old portion was pulled down and a second story added to the new portion, ■the house then would be a new and up-

to-date structure. When inspecting I found the back premises were not well kept. The licensee was absent at the time and I pointed out the defect to Mr. Fletcher,, who was then in charge, ancl he informed me that he would see it was attended to. During the past twelve months this house .lias been well conducted. Hot Springs Hotel, licensee Benjamin Aislabie: I inspected this house on April stli, 1909, and found that the front steps and verandah were' in need of repairing. I pointed this out to the licensee, and when again at Morere on April 2-9, I found the repairs had been carried out in a satisfactory manner. Other than this I found the house, furniture and premises in good order and condition, and during the past twelve months this house has been well conducted. Moll aka Hotel, licensee,, William J. D. Strickland: I inspected this house on April 21st, and found that the house,- furniture, and premises were in good order and condition. During the past twelve months the house lias been well conducted. Waikaro hotel, licensee James Nathan: I inspected this hotel on April 20th, and found th© house, furniture, and premises in good order and condition. During the past twelve months this house'"lias been well conducted.” The Chairman said tliat the police report on the whole was satisfactory. Sergeant Hutton had referred to the supply of liquor for the consumption off the premises. ’There was no doubt that publicans were within their rights in supplying for consumption off the premises, and that being so the bench could not interfere. They thought, however, that licensees in their own interests should bo more careful as to the class of people) they supplied. It they did that they felt it would have the effect of greatly reducing tlie amount of drunkenness in the town. The reports mentioned that two hotel keepers-were enlarging their premises. He was very glad that this was being done as frequent complaints had been made of insufficient accommodation m town. „ TRANSFER. A transfer of the license of the Frasertown Hotel was granted, from Albert Edward Beckett to Henry Thompson Johnson. NEW LICENSES. The following new licenses were issued for old houses: — _ Andrew Tuohy, Royal Oak Hotel; Richard Stephen Chilton, British Empire Hotel; Adolphus J acob Zacliariali, Record Reign Hotel; Frederick Hall, Masonic Hotel: Almon Clement, W ae-renga-a-liika Hotel; Margaret Currie, Muriwai Hotel; Henry Thompson Johnson, Frasertown Hotel. ACCOMMODATION LICENSES. Accommodation licenses were granted ea Charles Joseph Nathan, Waikare; William David John Strickland, Lower Mohaka; H. Cooper, Waerenga-o-kuri; Dunean Mackay. Hot Springs (Tarawera); James Saul Cooper, Lake House (Tiniroto); William Prebble, Lake (Pohue). ■ On behalf of Mr. J. M. Thomas, Mr. Nolan said that improvements were being carried out at the accommodation house Marumaru, and the application was adjourned for three months. RENEWALS . Renewals were granted to William Wallace, Turanganui Hotel; Francis Robert Harris, Albion Club Hotel; John Alexander Lucas, Coronation Hotel; Charles William Johnson, Roseland Hotel; Joseph John Martin, Royal Hotel; James Bruce Hollier, Bridge Hotel; George. Brown Oman, Wairoa Hotel; Benjamin Hodgson Aislabie, Hot Springs Hotel (Morere) ; 3 ohn Mackay Taylor, Patutabi Hotel; James Henry Martin, Gisborne Hotel. The applications of P. Crarer, Ferry Hotel., and L. Storey, Clyde Hotel wei adjourned to allow repairs to be ca: ried out. WHOLESALE LICENSES Tlie following wholesale licenses wei granted: —L. -D. Nathan and Co. Ltd Custom Street; Dalgety and Co, Ltc Reads Quay; John Frank Pettie Pc Street; . James Charles Parker, Lov Street: Dalgety and Co. Ltd., Frase town Road, North Clyde, Wairoa Common Shelton and Co*, Ltd., 1 e Street; Williams and .Lvettle ( Etc Corner Gladstone Road and Custox house Street.