HOTEL LICENSES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20100, 2 December 1930, Page 5

HOTEL LICENSES.

TRANSFERS GRANTED. CHRISTCHURCH COMMITTEE. The quarterly meeting of the Christchurch Licensing *_utnmitte« was held at the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. Mr H. A. Young, S.M., presided and with him were Messrs H. H. Wauchopj. W. Dobbs, and G. i£. Franklin. The following transfers were approved:—New Albion Hotel, E. J> Costello to Jack Roland Morris ; Sandridge Hotel, M Soollard to Charles Edwin Humphries; Grosvenor Hotel, John S. Barton to Henrv James Bell; White Swan Hotel, Ralph C. Sierabowski to S. Massetti. Permission was ETiven for the name of the Rotherfield Hotel to be changed to Gresham Hotel. BOOKMAKING ON PREMISES COMMENT BY BENCH. 0?EU!J8 iddOCIATIOa TBI.3eGE.AJI.) WELLINGTON. December 1. "The Licensing Committee takes tlio view that it is improper for a licensee to tolerate on the premises the carrying on of bookmaking, which is an unlawful calling," said the chairman, Mr E. Page, S.M., at the quarterly meeting of the Wellington Licensing Committee Mr Page read a report presented to the committee by inspector Rawle, stating that last month a man named Leney was arrested in the New Zealander Hotel and charged with carrying on the 'business of a bookmaker. The report stated that on eleven days he Was known to be betting in the public bar of the hotel When the police entered the bar bells were rung from various bars and immediately tliey commenced to ring Lenev left his position >n the public bar and went into the passage. When interviewed on the subject of bookmakers and bells the licensee, Mrs Brough, said she did not know Leney had been using tho bar for betting purposes and the hells were for the convenience of persons who were serving requiring assistance or requiring change in the bars. Mr W. Perry, who represented the licensee, said he strenuously objected to the tone of the report Dealing with the question of bells, Mr Perry said the system in the hotel was no different from that used in any other residential hotel The system was in existence long before the present licensee took over the hotel A placard showing parts of the hotel where the hells operated was produced by Mr Perry, who said that the placard was placed in a conspicuous place in the hotel "It is not a system of bells with any sinister meaning.said Mr Perry. Mr Page said the committee took the view that it was improper for a licensee to tolerate bookmaking on the premises, and if it were knowingly tolerated the hotel was not properlyconducted. The question of bells might he n matter to which there was an answer. Dealing with suggestions oi afterhours' trading, Mr Pago said the presence of a substantial number of people on licensed premises lent itself t>> tho suspicion that there was illicit after-hour.':' trading.

DUNEDIN HOTELS. CONDUCT CRITICISED. LTHE PEESB SpocUl Serrlco.] DUNEDIN, December 1. The police report on tho conduct of the hotels shows that an undue proportion of them are described as only fairly well conducted and a regrettable feature is that this includes several of our leading hotels, with regard to which certainly a much better report is to be expected Before tno Duncdin Licensing Committee dealt with applications at its quarterly meeting to-day, the chairman (Mr J. It. Bartholomew, S.M.) drew tho pointed attention of licensees to the need for stricter conduct and observance of the laws. Ho Baid the committee had to call attention to the unsatisfactory position disclosed by the police report. It was regrettable that a great deal of the report was of an unsatisfactory nature. A number of convictions of hotel licensees and also of persons being found unlawfully on premises after hours had been made, and the police report indicated that from the number of convictions some of the licensees were not devoting the supervision to their premises that they should. In relation to after-hours' trading, tho committee desired to call pointed attention to the unsatisfactory nature of the police report and to draw the attention of licensees to tho need for stricter observance of the.law.