HOTEL CONTROL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1148, 8 June 1911, Page 6

HOTEL CONTROL.

| LICENSING BENCH. THE DIALOGUE VERY FRANK, j A STRICTER REGIME. I The. annual meeting of the Wellington f Licensing Committee was held at the Magistrate's Court' at noon ' yesterday. I Dr.,.A. M'Arthur, S.M., presided, nnd ' there were present with' him 'on the ; $e'nch Messrs. J. Smith, — Petlierick, \\. | J. Helyer, C 4. Wilton, and Tiller. TnS • speetor Ellison represented tlie police. | TRANSFERS AND RENEWALS. \ ORDINARY CASES. • ! The following transfers were granted:— H. Dooley (Clarendon), to.M.. Moynihan, i>. M'livride (Shamrock) to 1\ Rogers, ! J.Swindale (Palace) to N. K. Smith, I A. Sellar (Clyde Quay) to Robert 1. M'Farlane, R. Dwyor (Duke of Edinburgh) to Richard Dwver. ■ I Renewals were granted in the followintr cases:—J. C\ Mason (Panama Hotel), j. J. Firth (City Hotel), N. R. Smith • (Palace Hotelt, W. J. Conner (Barrett s i Hotel), Mrs. F. 31. Paulsen (Commercial |. Hotel), J. 3 J'Donald (Albert Hotel), C. ! M'Enroe (Britannia Hotel), M. M \ipish i (Post Office Hotel), M. O'Neill (Cambridge- Hotel), P. W. Corby (Caledonian • IHotel). S. J. W. BirdJlforesters Arms r (Hotel), D. Cormack (Albion Hotel), A. 1 5. Mace (Central Hotel), B. O Brien (Yic'toria Hotel). ,G. Tulloch Brunswick I i'-Hotel),-W. N: Nidd (Wellington Hotel), I !F. W. M'Parland (Hotel Cecil). A- A}- < • 'ißuick (Shepherd's Arms . Hotel), J. : Phortis (Princess Hotel), &. Gilmer (Roval Oak Hotel), P. J. briffin_ (Pier ; -Hotel), D. Sullivan (Terminus Hotel). , C.- M'Manus (New Hotel), M Moynihan '(Clarendon Hotel). J. ' ! Bevcririge (Grand Hotel),. C. Beauehamp (Tramway Hotel), M. N'athan (TeAro iHotel), D. J. Kenny OVlute Swan ; Hotel), J.'H. Tairbairn (New Occidental : Motel), 'K. Wilkinson (National Hote.), if. Dealv (Railway Hotel), E. Keeney (Thistle'lnn Hotel). F. J. Oakes City ißuffet), .T. T. 'Foley (Cricketers Arms iHotel). P. Rogers (Shamrock Hotel), r • i Xlobson fjfasonic Hotel). F. Pool (Em- : pire Hotel), L. P. O'Brien (Metropolitan ! Hotel). H. Whelnn (Alhambra Hotel), ; ' ff.- Siillivan (Imperial Hotel). M. O'Brien (Prince ■of Wales Hotel), J. I -Dwyer (Club Hotel). Richard Dwyer (Duke of Edinburgh Hotel). I / THE CLYDE QUAY- HOTEL v ; • ' , MORE TO BE HEARD. ; , When the Clyde Quay Hotel was 'named Inspector Ellison remarked that ihe had called there on April 25, and had : 'told the licensee that it was commonly reported that he (the licensee) was in the 'hotel as the nominee of a woman-of bad ' Tcputc. Tli© licenseo admitted having - borrowed money from tho woman, in ques"tion, but stated that she had no interest in the hotel. The inspector thought that ho ought to bo called on to give an 1 explanation on oath. Dr. M'Arthur agreed that this should bo done, and tho licensee was subse- ! qnently put into tho witness-box. i Robert Thomas M'Farlane, the applicant for • the license, stated • that, he reI meinbered the conversation with the inspector. The woman whom the inspector had mentioned had loaned him .£SOO f jas a debt of honour. He had known her | [for a long time, and lie had the money ;. | at. 6 per cent. it was repayablo at. , . i,C 5. ]>er week. 'She had no security for the money, and had no sleeping interest in the business other than the .£500.' She j occasionally visited the hotel to see how 1 the applicant was getting on, but she never handled the takings. Besides the J2500 loan from this woman, ho was also ' indebted to Mr. Gilmer, who held a moTtgag« over the- place. The chairman, after examining the applicant's cheque-book, expressed the opinion that the committee would require to inspect tho agreement entered into when M'Farlano took over tho hotel. Tho •application would be adjourned till June ! 21. Mr. Ward submitted that it was for Inspector Ellison to make out a ease against the licensee. The mortgago and i lease had been drawn up correctly, and i it really did not matter from whom his client had borrowed money. Tho committee intimated that they , would not discuss tho matter further until June 21. THE ROYAL HOTEL. "DISINCLINED TO RENEW." I i n Ja J?? D ,s ction 'with the Royal Hotel, ;. Dr. M Arthur stated that the committee "were disinclined to grant C. Harrison's ' " application for. a renewal of the license, j- iinal decision, on the matter . -was held > OTer until June 21. v ROYAL TIGER HOTEL, /TWO OF THE -ROOMS CONDEMNED. ! I ?'j lo appeared in support of \ 'Aps. A 1 Intosh s-application for 'a renewaL Of the license of the Royal Tiger Hotel, ; \said that there had been an objection on -account of the statutory number of rooms ,Mt being available for . travellers, but •r? i, nolv '■ K>en remedied. '■ , U ff 31 Arthur: Db you know that two ol those rooms have been cendemued? Have you been there yourself? . Mr. Fair replied in the negative. Vi Inspector Ellison remarked that, sinco ; Ine had-pairf his periodical - visit to the • hotel he had received no notification of alterations. Dr. M'Arthur: If what is done, and . what thft committeo insists shall be done, von may nst then have enough rooms to •hold your license. The chairman went on to say that some of these places , should never have been allowed to got , into their present state. - ; Mr. Fair intimated that lio would like to call the licensee. This was allowed. ; Mrs. II Intosh then stated on oath that ■ there were now five rooms available for ( travellers, exclusive of those occupied bv members of the family. The chairman said that the committee were prepared to adj.ourn the application until the next quarterly meeting, and, in ' it J. ne , a i. T e > *-' le roeommendations of /tho I üblic Health "Dopartinent inust be > !carried out,.and the placs put in a con-tli-tion to satisfy the inspector of Police. PRINCESS THEATR'E HOTEL. ;. COUNSEL IS "SURPRISED." , An objection was lodged bv the police ftgmnst r. Palmer's application for a 'renewal of the licen.se of the Princess ; Theatre Hotel, certain repairs being ncccssary. Mr. Tripe, who appeared in support of ; the application, said that he would give his personal undertaking that the repairs would be carried out if the renewal i were granted. ' Dr. M'Arthur: Would yon ba surprised I to know, that there is about two fe6t of r stagnant water in that cellar under the bar? Mr. 'Tripe replied that ho was taken by surprise, but he would see that the water was cleared out if the license were renewed. ne did not. want to hare to come i down to Court again over the matter. If j the police would say what they wanted, r he would see that it was carried out. ' Inspector Ellisbn here remarked that he had warned tho licensee, when tho latter was taking over tho hotel, to examine every part. The chairman announced that the decision of the committee was that the application be adjourned until the next meeting, and. meantime, the requirements of the Department of Public Health must bo attended to. PRINCESS HOTEL, A BLUNT REMINDER FOR ALL. Inspector Ellison mentioned that, wh«n ne visited the Princess Hotel in April, he found that it had got into a bad state of repair. He was not going to raise any objection to the renewal on this occasion, but lie .wanted to mention that any holder of a license, who did not keep his hotel in order tho wholo year round, need not expect to get a Sfavourablc police report at the end of the y«ar. Dr. M'Arthur stated that these matters 'lad been considered in committee, and the Bench had resolved to carry out all the suggestions made by the Inspector

of Police. Unfortunately, the inspector had,,in tho past, been put off with promises which had never been kept. Tho committee had absolute proof of what ho nas saying, and they desired licensees to understand that all the suggestions ol 'the inspector must be at onco carried out. If not, the 'comniittte would ask the inspector to let them know at the following quarterly meeting, and in such cases the licensees would not he leniently dealt with. Tlie'f remarks were intended ■as a.warning to licensees that they must • keep then hotels in order all tho year round. , ~ ~ Mr. Tripe' assured the Bench that the remarks would receive due attention, lie thought, however, the inspectors remarks should have been embodied in his report. / , .. Dr. M'Arthur: What he is contending for is for these things to be done without it being necessary to give liotic-o. FORESTERS' ARMS, A GENERAL WORD ON "ROUGHS." Inspector Ellison .also had sonic remarks to make in referenco to the 1 or- • esters' Arms Hotel, although tho of the license Was not objected to. The bedrooms had not been furnished as they should have been. The traffic was-verv rough, and probably more thieves and criminals rind prostitutes went' there than to any other house in town. Mr. Tripe objected to such a statement being made to' thd Bench if it was not embodied in the report. How could , they Jiave any chaiice of controverting such'statements-'if they were not notified? Inspector Ellison replied that his report stated that, the house was frequented by a very rough class. Dr. M'Arthur remarked that members of the committee were men of the world, ■and well understood that a certain class jof undesirables.' would frequent hotels •without being encouraged by the licensee, but, where tne committee found that the i licensee did encourage this class, they would have something to say to him. The inspector was compelled to say in his Toport what class of people frequented the hotel, though he might not have anything to say .against the. licensee. Mr. Tripe was prepared to admit that inspector-Ellison was extremely fair ill his dealings with licensees, but. in this case, lie (counsel) had been taken by surprise. He took it. that Inspector Ellison had only done this as a warning. Dr. M'Arthur: You may take it as a caution. ' ' WHOLESALE LICENSES, Wholesale licenses were granted to the following:—W.' M. Bannatyne and Co., Ltd., J. J. Dudgeon, J. Dalrymple, Johnston and Co., Ltd., E. T. Taylor, Lev,in and Co., Ltd., H. H. Cramp, Gollin and Co. Proprietary. Ltd., Laery and Co., Ltd., David Anderson and Son, W. D. Cook, W. and G. Turnbull and Co., A. D. Kennedy, A. Maguire, WuirarapaFar- ■ mers' Co-operativo Association, Ltd., Roper and Co., Ltd., T. AY. \oung, A. E. Kernot, I?. T. Robertson, Murray, Roberts and Co., H. W. Preston, J. A. Fraser, H. Wollerman. A. M. ijamuel's application for a license was refused, the chairman remarking that the committee was not prepared to revive tho license, which had lapsed some years ago. There was nothing against Mr. Samuel personally., but he was not in the Dominion at the present time. A COURTENAY PLACE SHOP. POLICE COMMENT. An objection was raised to the renewal of the wholesale lioense held by A. E. Sohultz. Inspector Ellison said that the business carried on by 'Mr. Schultz was different from that carried on by anyone else. He kept a shop in Courtenay Place, which was generally open until late at night, though it had been closed a little earlier during the last few weeks. The licenseo sold nothing other than liquor, and his business was mostly with people who visited tho place and brought awqy small quantities in bags or baskets. A largo number of women visited tho place. Evidence would be called as, to the class of trade carried on. Constable Angland, who had watched Schultz's premises from 6.15 p.m. until 9.15 p.m. on April 13, gave evidence as to seeing a number of people going in and out of the premises during that time, some coming out with .baskets and bags and others apparently carrying nothii.g when they came out. Cross-examined by Mr. Dix. witne.ss stated that he could not swear that there were any bottles in tho bags or baskets toferred to. , The chairman intimated that the hpplication would bo adjourned until Jum 21, as his presence was required on the Tramway Appeal Board. Mr. Dix, who appeared for Schultz, declared that if his client could bo made acquainted with what the police required to be done in connection-with the business he (the client) would comply. ' A WORD FOR "THE TRADE." At the conclusion of the sitting, Mr. J. J. M'Grath, on behalf of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, said that he would like to draw attention to the fact that out of forty-seven applications for hotel licenses only four had been objected to, and three of that four were on account of the buildings. It spoke a good deal for tho conduct of the hotels. . - IN OTHER DISTRICTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Greymouth, June 7. The Licensing Committee granted licenses for hotels and accommodation houses, but reserved consideration of five where the inspector alleged that indications' of Sunday trading existed when not closely watched by the police. Three applications for wholesale \licenses by previous holders of bottle licenses were adjourned till tho afternoon. Eltham, June 7. In connection with an application for the renewal of the license of the Eltham Hotel,- at a meeting of the Egino'ut Licensing Committee to-day, the police objected, on the ground that the man employed as manager used obscene language, and had been convicted of that offence. The. committee adjourned the application for a fortnight, so that the licensee (a widow)'may get rid of the : ma,nager or show that he is a proper person to be in the -hotel. The committee is opposed to a person using bad language being in charge of a hotel.