BOARDERS' LUGGAGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 8

BOARDERS' LUGGAGE.

AN ANOMALY. AMENDMENT OF LAW . SOUGHT. There was an interesting discussion in the . House of Representatives yesterday in regard to a petition urging that boardinghouse-keepers should have coequal rights with hotelkeepea-s with regard to the luggage of defaulting guests. . .-..-' .-Mr. Hemes (Tauranga) pointed out that at present lbdgiughouse-keeper's had no power to detain the baggage of those .who went without paying their bills. . Further, they .had no-power to dispose of the baggage,, no- matter, how. long it lay on the premises. v ' . The Prime Minister said there certainly was an anomaly at the present time, but he asked' what form the legislation to remedy it.should take.- There was a danger, if the ',-petition, were granted, that a boarder might .temporarily leave Jbaggage behind him, and lind it -disposed of. when he returned. There should, be the safeguard ..that a certain time should elapse, and proper . inquiries should .be • made before luggage was sold/: The matter "would be carefully inquired into,': and , he suggested ■ that, the Public Petitions. Committee should reconsider- the petition with a view;-tot pointing put a remedy. Mr..Fisher (Wellington, Central) said it.was for the. Crown Law Office to provide 1 -a'..remedy. Many ..people in the Dominion practised frauu on boardingkouse-keepers, ■-, moving, from house to house without : . paying their bills. ,-■ -.:■ '. :/ ' ■'. '.'•• , . i :;;•■:.■ ... ' ■ Mr. Staliworthy.. (Kaipara) pointed out that the , boardinghouse-keepers had. some .protection in that :they. were not compelled,;';as 'were the licensees _■ of hotels, to receive everyone who happened •along./-'. '"..'.■■:'"•' •-:.' .' ; '.'■. ■■• ' ''./.. - '-.'• -. The. Hon:; T.'■■ Mackenzie said,that not only were' bbardinghoiise-keepers being victimised, ■ .but /..the small tradesman suffered a good deal, from unscrupulous persons. /•. ?.■', ■' ■■■ '"■■■ ■■■:'.■'-': ."' v : ; : ( -, ■■' '• '' : Jlr. Reed ./(Bay of -. Islands) f-urged that the time had arrived for considering the 'question of licensing, boardirighoiises. ■, Tliere were: a considerable number of jSVLicensß 'areas,- arid in .these the' bdardinghqiise offered the only 'accommodation available. , .. ; '..Mr.' J. V.'.-I3roi\-n (Napiea - ). said that on : one': occasion 'he paid his" bill, arid left some pictures ; behirid for..-; safe keeping; when. ho.returned the pictures had been :soW' by judgm'mt' creditors of-the . boardingliouse proprietor. ..;,:, •■■ : \Mr.' ; E.;''H-; Taylor./ (Thames), ..speaking 'Oil .'tho licensing, question generally, said . irregularities ,v sometimes": occurred in , sparsely-populated; districts: ■'~,:- Hoknew of . oncT case in■:' which a;■ license had-been transferred without the ledgo'-of the-Licensing-Committee,, and. the jnan in . charge of. the hotel had no license, to. sell liquor. ;-, ~ a■' ••; ; Hγ.' AYrighf (Wellington South) :said that '-if' -the /matter, were .referred.,back to the Committee nothing.would be done this/year'v , ? ■-;.;-. ■> '.:'■'"■■''■■■■' : .'..-- '''■'■-...'■ It was then agreed that the , , , petition should, .'be Preferred /back to .the ..Com--mittee for further : consideration;''~//