CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14986, 5 June 1914, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH.

The annual meeting of the Chrfstohtirch Licensing Committee was hold at the Courthouse yesterday. Present— Messrs H. TV. Bishop, S.M. (chairman), ' C. E. Salter and T. C. Field. Superintendent Dwyer appeared for the police

The chairman asked if all tho ropairs and alterations ordered had been made. Superintendent Dwyer said that everything had been dono, except some alterations at --he Queen's, which were almost completed. ' i The chairman said that, with the ex- j ception of the ropairs and alterations, | t] > police reports were satisfactory. There was one thing he wanted to ask. ! There were certain allegations made in the Court the day previously about liquor having been supplied to throe boys. Were tho police taking action? Superintendent Dwyer said that it was being irvp-stigated. The hotels' were the Sandridge, the King George, and tho Prince of Wales. The chairman said that the licenses of those hotels would not be re-iewed ti" the matter was gone into. The applications for renewal would be adjourned for threo months. Superintendent Dwyer said that ho could safely saj" that a prosecution would follow.

Mr Hoban snid ho appen.rH for tho lircn--oe of the Kins George, who, directly he saw the boys, turned them

The chairman: But who supplied them? 31 r Hoban : The hiirn*nn. The chairman said that those matters wou'd be pone into later. If \z was possible for bays to get blind* drunk in hotels in Christchurch, someone was responsib'p—ho did not know who, but he wo "t of I it inro'tijrated.

Mr Hoban: In justico to the licensee of tht- King George—-

Tho chairman: All I know is that three boys got beastiv drunk, and that/ is responsible, and wboever wns responsible will bo de-alt with, and •will be denlt with very severely. Mr Cnisr.ly said tlial he appeared for the licensees of tho Sandridgo and Prince of Wales Ho+pls. Hβ supposorl thoir arrlications for renewal -would stand over. Tho chni-man: "Yee/ ,

Continuing. Mr Bishop said tKit it wiis eompla :, ned that li'-onsoo v? the Club ?lotel, Sydenham, dirl not livo on tlifi prenMsps. Tho eommitteo co';.«id"-ed that it was imr-ossiblo for a licensee to cerciso' ihat coTrtrol over .a house that tho Act demanded unless h« lived on the premises. TJip committee intended to insist that tho licenseo in question should live on the premises.

Mr Cas-sidy said t> 31 until a week or ten day? ago tho i : cnnsee did not livo on the pi entires; lie was doing go now. Superintendent Dri-yer said that thor© was a serious comwlnint pg'iinst thp samo hotel—tho Club. Sydenham— that required investigating/ Mr Cassidy fraid he would agrco to an adjournment for three months. Tho chairman: I won't refer to the details of that—it will be threshed out in another way. The application will etand over for three months.

RENEWALS. All the applications for renewals wero granted, with tho exception of Warner's, Gladstone. Prince of Wales, King George, Sandridge, nnd Club. These vvero adjourned for three months. TRANSFERS.

The following transfers were confirmed:—United Service, W. F. T. Grigsby *■« John Morrison; Empire. T. W Watts to A. n> Cock; Oxford Hotel, V J. Johnston to W. G. Ivesj Queen's Hptol, A. Meharry to Alfred White house. WHOLESALE LICENSES. All the applications. for the renewal of wholesale licenses wero ■ granted. REFUSING ACCOMMODATION.

When the application for the renewal of tho license of TattersalPe Hotel .vas before tho committee, the chairman referred to a complaint made that accommodation had been refused to certain people who asked for it. He said tliat_ he understood that the reason why tho matter was not proceeded with was that the peoplo who were refused accommodation lived in the North Island, and did not care to incur the expense jhafc would have been involved in a Court case. He askod if the police had enquired into the matter, and, if so, with what result.

Superintendent Dwyer said that it was enquired into, and the allegation had been partly admitted by the licensee. Tho people arrived by train, and tho licensee was unable to accommodate them, and advised them to go to a restaurant.

The chairman said that as no pro"oedings had been taken, tho committee could not take official cognisance of tho matter; but he thought that it should bo omphasised that it was a primo duty of a licensee to supply accommodation when asked for it. One

of the persons refused accommodation was a cripple, and both were sent.away because it was not convenient to provide them with accommodation. Mr Hoban (who appeared for the licensee) said that the liconseo \ras 1-nntrn for th* «f *lie «<wnw. dation he provided and for hi» desire 10 oblige customers. Tho Chairman said that complaint had been made, and the police, on encmirv, found that it was well founded. Mr Hoban said that tho probable explanation was that thoro had boon some trouble with the servants, but not havinc received notice that the matter was to be referred to he could not say definitely. -•,.,, -I.l^l The Chairman said that possibly the explanation stfven was right. The excuse was received.