HOTEL RESPONSIBILITIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1865, 26 September 1913, Page 8

HOTEL RESPONSIBILITIES.

DRUNK MEN IN BARS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.)

Auckland, September 25. Charged with having permitted drunkenness on their premises, A. Whitehead and Goorgo Hyde, licensees of tho Rising Sun and Star Hotels respectively, were summoned in tho Polico Court somo days ago. Judgment in these cases was delivered to-day by Mr. F. V. Frazcr, S.M. Mr. J. R. Reed, K.C., appeared for each of the defendants.

Dealing with tlio case of Whitehead first, his AVorship said that two men entered the bar of. the hotel in company with a third man, who was drunk. The two sober men were served with drinks, the inebriated ono being given a glass of soda water. At the time tho licensee was away from tho hotel, and his wife was left in charge. Neither of them knew that a drunken man was in the bar. Tho barman, said His AVorship, knew that the man was drunk, but ho was a more servant, and had acted quite innocently in tho matter. The authority of the licensee had not been delegated to him. His AA'orship quoted sevoral cases in support of his decision, and held that the charge against the iicensco of permitting drunkenness upon His premises must be dismissed. In tho caso against George Hyde, of the Star Hotel, the licensee was upstairs when a drunken man was in tho bar. His Worship said that,,in this case, Hydo had no knowledge of what was going 011 in tho bar, and tho charge against him would have therefore to bo dismissed as well. "But, at tho samo timo," said His Worship, "a licensee should take stringent measures to prevent such occurrences, which are inclined .to bo too-frequent, Lack of knowledge is no oxcuse if he keeps his oyes shut to what, is going on." Ilis AVorship said that it would be a good thing if tho law on tho subject was amended so as to make a barman, and not only a licensee, responsible for permitting drunkenness upon licensed premises.