THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1880.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 28 May 1880, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1880.

THE ordinarily accepted axiom of daily }|fe that a man can "do as be likes with hia own,'* would seem to. be sub- • jpcs to eiception in the ease of a pub* Jican's license. A publican's license ia peculiarly and anmistakeably " of no use to anyone bat the owner." While this is the case, however, tb » grantee of a license has no more power of himself to assign, 1 asp. or transfer the right which be derives Tinder it than he has to traffic away the British Constitution. >Jn short, it \i not negotiable, unless with the previous concurrence and sanction of the Licensing Bench This fact would not appear to be sufficiently underStood bere, to judge by son?© revelations made at the late sitting of the R.M. Court, and a difficulty is likely to g.'jse 'fl eaiwquence. It seems

that an hotel property a* Black's Point was recently seised and sold under destraint, and the property changed ownership. The Mtne tenant however, carried on the house, and the ordinary business suffered no ill* terruption. The license would appear to have been treated as a part and parcel of the establishment, and no transfer of it wag made from the original holder. "Whether this omission was the result of ignorance or carelessness on the part of the purchaser, or occupier, or of perversity of the licensee, did not appear, but the end is that the house has been closed, to the great damage of the property and loss to tbe occupier. It strikes one that there is great need for amendment in the Licensing law affecting cases of this nature. As tbe Act at present stands the occupier of a house may obtain a license in his own name, ' and then get his back up with his landlord and become a troublesome and very tyrannical tenant. Tbe owner of the house is, until the next sitting „ day of the Licensing Court comes round, quite at the mercy of the licensee, who may therefore dictate his own terms. Tbe license is in bis name, and cannot be transferred without his consent, and should he refuse and vacate the premises, there is no alternative for the landlord bat to sbufc up the house. Cases have occurred where this power has been abused by licensee*, and considerable loss and annoyance inflicted upon the owners of houses. Now, tbe remedy for all this appears so easy, that one is driven to wonder why no effort has been made to have it introduced. There is no reason why, in the case of occupiers only, licenses should not be made terminable with the tenancy of the house, and power vested in the Chairman of the Licensing Bench to grant a transfer to the new occupier for the uneipired term, upon the payment by the latter of the actual val ue of the license to the original bolder. Publicans are subjected to restrictions enough in the main principles of the Act, without the addition or mainte* nance of harassing restraints which answer no useful purpose whatever. Of course, it is for licensees them** selves to move in matters of this kind, and unless they are prepared to do so it is idle for them to look for the relief which seems to be their due. One of the representatives of the district is now here, and the opportunity * is ripe for action, and there is no doubt that If the grievance were duly brought to Mr Beeves' notice, and backed up by a recommendation from the Licensing Bench, a good deal would be done towards hastening legislation in the direction required.