ASHBURTON (SUBURBAN) LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1259, 9 June 1886, Page 3

ASHBURTON (SUBURBAN) LICENSING COMMITTEE.

The adjourned meeting of the Ashburton (suburban) Licensing Committee was held at the Courthouse at noon to-day. Present Messrs John Grigs (Chairman), G. J Harper, D. Thomas, C. T. Dudley, and D. McLean. RENEWALS.

Patrick Devane, for whom Mr Crisp appear, d, applied for an accommodation license for the Waterloo Hotel.—The Committee intimated that the license would be granted a' a fee of £2O. —Mr Crisp, after consultation with his client, said unless the Committee would fix the lee for an accommodation license at £lO, he would prefer to take a publican’s license.—The Committee allowed the application for an accommodation license to be wi'hdrawn, and the publican’s license tcoc rpnpwpfl P. Kellsr obtained a renewal of the publican’s license issued to the Winslow Hotel, and Mark Scott a similar renewal for the Tinwald Hotel. THE HINDHOPE HOTEL.

George Watts applied for a renewal of the license of the Hindhope Hotel. Mr Caygill apseared for the applicant and Mr Crisp for the 'mortgagees of the building. The police opposed the application. Sergeant Felton submitted that the applicant was not a fit person to hold a publican’s license. The house was notorious for the bad manner in which it had been conducted, and was a perfect nuisance to the neighborhood. The applicant bad been fined for a serious breach of the Licencing Act, and had been imprisoned for committing an assault during a disturbance which arose in his licensed house.— Sergeant Felton, on oath, gave particulars of the manner in which the Hotel had been conducted preceding and during the applicant’s occupancy. Complaints had been made of the manner in which the house had been conducted. An information had been laid by the police, and two convictions were recorded against the applicant. The house

could not be conducted in a worse manner.

The withdrawal of the license would be a very great gain to the whole community. To Mr Crisp—During the last four years there had been three convict ious against the various licensees of the hotel. There was only one conviction against the present applicant under (he Licensing Act. To Mr Caygill—The applicant did not e mploy counsel when convicted of assault. Witness could not say if he (applicant) had been advised by a member of the police force not to employ a solicitor cn that occasion. To the Bench—The Resident Magistrate had particularly requested that the character of the bouse might be reported to the Licensing Committee.—Constable Bemer corroborated 1 the evidence of Sergeant Felton.—John Emmerson, stated that the Hindhope Hotel had been very badly conducted bv the applicant. To Mr Crisp—Witness lived 8 or 9 miles from the Hindhope Hotel, but passed it two or three times a week.—John Withel and James McKeage generally corroborated the

evidence of the previous witness. The Court then adjourned for half an hour. On resuming Mr Crisp called Sergeant Felton who saw he was aware that the Ashburton Building Society had a mortgage on the Hinds Hotel. Had a conversation with

Mr Ward the manager of the Society about the time Watts took the license. Sir Ward

said he would not let anyone have the Hotel unless the police approved of him. He asked witness if the police had any objection to Watts, who was then in Napier. Witness said no and on his recommendation Watts received

ft lioens@. In reply to Mr Caygill, the Bench said they had decided to recognise the petitions

received.

George Watts, examined by Mr Caygill, said he had nothing whatever to do with the

getting up of a petition in favor of granting a license to the hotel. (At this stage another petition, containing 51 signatures, was produced by Mr Caygill.) Witness had seen the third petition. All the signatures were hma fide. The hotel was situated on the Main South Road, and there were continually travellers on that road who used the hotel.

It would be an inconvenience to the travelling

public if the hotel were closed. The neighbors were rather rough. This witness was

examined by Mr Caygill at some length as to the oases brought by the police against the

bouse. There had only been one conviction against him, and on that occasion he had not had an opportunity of engaging counsel.

(Left sitting.)