HOTEL LICENSING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 68, 22 June 1942, Page 4

HOTEL LICENSING

Sir, —In Wednesday's issue of the BEACON, I notice a list of licenses granted and renewed by the J3ay of Plenty Licensing Committee sitting at Opotiki. This is the usual list of hotels which comes up for annual review, and there would be nothing singular in the question of their re-licensing were it not for the controversy which has been recently figuring in your columns regarding the supplying of liquor to the Maoris in this district. Now, Sir, let me draw your attention to the case of the Masonic Hotel, where the police reported adversely upon the conduct of the house, and the committee did little more than wink its eye at the statement, and announce that 'it is fully cognisant of the fact'.— and then blatantly granted the license as usual. The same thing applies to other houses, and, this is supposed to be careful and thorough consideration b3 r the committee of review, whose duty it is to weigh up the conduct of licensees during the year, and in the public interest decide whether or not they shall be granted for yet another term. Well, all I can say is that there is little hope for us of ever getting a decent, clean and honest hotel service if there is never going to be any weeding out. Under the present system, it would appear that the police can go on reporting adversely to the committees about the offending licensees and the committee with its official tongue in its official cheek, merely grants, the license as usual, and announces a warning that 'it is cognisant/ Lovely, isn't it Mr Editor. And here we are trying'.to- stage a clean-up which will make for better control and the enforcement of the law! What I would like to know, is wiio appoints the Licensing Committee, and what are its specific duties? Yours etc., I WONDER WHY.