LICENSING MATTERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 836, 7 June 1910, Page 6

LICENSING MATTERS.

THE HUTT HOTELS. Tho annual meeting of the Huft Licensing Committee was held in the Magistrate's Court, Lower Hutt, at noon yesterday, Mr. Haselden, S.M., presiding. Other members present were Messrs. J. Cudby, J. Cotton, W. Inglis H. Ryder, and.Orton Stevens. Transfers were approved as follows — Provincial Hotel, Upper Hutt, A. Armstrong, to P. M. Paulsen; Victoria Hotel, Petone, V. Sullivan, to E. L Barnes. Renewals were granted in the following cases:—Bellvue Hotel, E. J. AnsticeProvincial, Upper Hutt, F. M. Paulsen; Central, Petone, W. R, Wilson; Central, Lower Hutt, M. J. Hougins; Empire Hotel, Petone, A. J. Palmer; Trentham Hotel, C. Benzie; Grand. National Hotel, Petone, C. Desnew; Family Hotel, Lower Hutt, J. Young; Taita Hotel, W Branigan; Victoria Hotel, Petone, E' •L. Barnes; Railway Hotel, Lower Hutt F. Higgott. ■ ' A wholesale license was issued to A Y. Lees. A discussion took place with reference tot he license of the Bellvue Hotel, -a man having been' fined in October iast, for being on the premises after hours. After conferring with tho committee, the chairman announced that, whilst the committee were unanimous in granting the _ license, the licensee would ho well advised to take warning from the occurrence. LIQUOR AT TRENTHAM. CITY° HOTELKEEPERS EXCLUDED. At yesterday's sitting of tho Hutt Licensing Committee, the chairman (Mr. W R. Haselden, S.M.) intimated that "the bench has decided by a majority that in future no conditional licenso will be granted, for the Trentham Racecourse, except to a publican in the Hutt licensing district." Mr. J. J. M'Grath: Does that exclude publicans in the Wellington district? The Chairman: Yes, and in Auckland and all other outside districts. Mr. M'Grath, in stating that he represented the Wellington Licensed Victuallers' -Association,-drew the attention of •the bench to the fact that the Trentham 'IMcing Club received its greatest amount of support from residents of Wellington, and so, while his clients were quito agreed that it would be unfair that'a mau : from a district outside of Wellington should be allowed to hold the license in.question, they submitted that city hotelkeepers should not bo debarred from tendering. "I will point out," he added, "that Mr. Haselden is chairman of the bench in this district.' and also the Wellington district, 'and if anything was done wrong' by the Tiolder of the conditional licenses who was a Wellington .publican, -he could be dealt with by the chairman at a meeting of the Wellington Committee." If tho resolution of the bench, he continued, was adhered to, it would have the effect of reducing the competition for the salo of tho privileges in question,' down to six or seven licensees, with the result that the revenue of the club' would doubtless be considerably affected. He therefore suggested that the bench might, 'under (he circumstances, reconsider its decision and see its way clear to extend tho right of holding the license to hotelkeepers in the Wellington district, over whom the chairman of the Hutt bench had considerable authority. The Chairman: I might say that I deliberately declined to vote on the question, believing'that it was a matter of policy which should bo left to the elective members of tho committee to decide.

Mr. M'Grath then further remarked that besides affecting the: AVellington Licensed Victuallers' the decision of tho committee would be the means of depriving the racing club, which incidentally had now to pay heavier taxes to the Government in respect to its receipts, of ,1 legitimate source of revenue.

Mr. Haselden rejoined that counsel's remarks were only a criticism, and irregular, but the members of the committee were inclined to hear what he had to say, in view of the. fact that they quite expected that their decision would come in for a good deal of ■criticism, as 60on as it was made known. The .matter then closed, Mr. M'Grath finally remarking that tlie Bench might reconsider the matter, and perhaps change its mind; if they did not, ho supposed it could not be helped. The meeting was then adjourned. IN OTHER CENTRES. (By Telecranh—Press Association.) Nelson, June 6. At the annual meeting of the Licensing Committee to-day, the police opposed tho renewal of the license in respect of J the Provincial Hotel, on tho ground that druukcuness had been permitted on tho premises. After hearing evidence, the committee declined to grant a renewal, but allowed time for a suitable transfer to be effected. A motion requesting the Commissioner 'of Police to hold on inquiry into licensing matters in Nelson was defeated. Dunedin, June G. At the Dunedin Licensing Committee's meeting tho chairman (Mr. WiddSwson, S.M.) administered a caution concerning street betting at the doorway of tho Grand and (Watson's) Commercial Hotels. Ho recognised that the licensees had improved affairs since the police had drawn their attention to the matter, but there was room for greater vigilance by the barmen in order to stamp out the vicious practices complained of.< Mr. Watson thanked the bench for calling public attention to tho matter, and said it would help the licensees to deal with the practice. The transfer of tho license of the Caledonian notel was ordered to stand over for a fortnight as the committee was not satisfied with tho manner in which the transferee, J. J. Roughan, is conducting the house.