LICENSING BENCH

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 62, 7 December 1920, Page 9

LICENSING BENCH

_—. —« —, — CONDUCT OF HOTELS GENERAL LAXITY IN CONTROL REPORTED Tho Wellington Licensing Committed held its quarterly meeting in the Magistrate's Court at noon yesterday. On the Bench were Messrs. W. G. Riddell. S.M. (chairman), J. , Smith, G. Petherick, W. J. Helyer, 'C. W. Chilman, and 'F. Meadowcroft. ... Inspector MTlveney, in his report, -stated; that the conduct, of the hotels had not been as satisfactory as in tho ■preceding quarter. A general laxity m control had been observed by the,-, sec-tional-sergeants. and; it was becoming more pronounced as time proceeded... ' The conduct of the Imperial Hi/el, • temarked the' Inspector, hid been very bad. This was -largely due to dual. control, Mrs. Philp being only, nominally licensee, her partner, Diamanti. who was refused R license by the Nelson committee, being in effect the keeper of the premises. The hotel had. been.-.allowed to become the resi/rt of. women of evil repute. He understood that a change of licenseo was in prospect, and were it ■ not for that fact he would have asked - the committeo to determine rnd put an end to the- license. - At the Wellington Hotel there had been , a cKa.nfc of licensee.. recently, elnee when: the conduct'ha3 been unsatisfactory IE was alleged by the inspector ■that, oh a recent occasion the licenseo, •Mr.' -Firth, was' found under the influent© of liquor , and in "a ii'.svudb.n condition." Complaints had- also been received as -to the general management of .the business, which iyas far from satisfactory. ... "•, ' ■ . Mention was madein.tlio report of the action against the ; liceiisee_ of tho' Cl.yde Quay Hotel •on informations charging him with selling liquor to an intoxicated person • and with remitting, • drunkenness. - Much more, careful ■ supervision _ and strictness in effort to observe tho licensing laws were necessary at the Panama Hotel before lie .would be nrppared to say -that the premises were veil conducted. The house was a rendezvous for women, some, of whom were accompanied- by children of tender years. Evidently thy yrero induced to resort thero by . reason of the special accommodation provided' for them. • ■ On one occasion, when . a sergeant and a constable-visited, the premises, - thirteen females were found in the house- ... The licenseo of,.tho Te Aro Hotel, it -was alleged, was, found by a sergeant s under .the influence of liquor, and his attention had to be directed to ilie loose manner in-which business was being conducted. The conduct of.the house had been unsatisfactory in .many -ways. The Cricketers', Arms Hotel also called for some observations, stated the re- - port, and the house required much greater supervision than: it had been receiving. . Here . again 'females were allowed to congregate and remain on_the '.premise's. ' A ..sergeant, during a visit, found eleven females on tho. premises. The conduct of the City : Hotel was commented upon. ' It yrits stated that . .the house had . been loosely conducted, and that thero lyid been far too'.much of the "go-as-you-please" style "atfcut the licensee. " ■ ■ . . . . Comments from ,the Bench. The chairman remarked that the committee was at a loss .to understand why. the.'conduct of the hotels 'mentioned in th.o inspector's report had been Ipss satisfactory during tho past quarter than in the provious quartor. All the licensees of the hotels'referred to 'had. exhibited laxity, in the conduct of their houses, which would adversely affect them unless they gave closer attention to the conduct of their businesses. Mr. T.' Young,, who appeared for the licensee? of two of the hotels named, pointed out that women had equal i£?hts with men, and licensees were obliged to - provide them with'- accommodation when ,they asked for it. Tho licensees whom lie represented had been very cereful iit dealing with feriiale patrons, and made :every.-effort-'to prevent the-mixing of the sexes. He thought tho police reports must have been made urder a misapprehension. • • -' f inspector M'Jlveney 'denied, tl'ia . The chairman-'Shttrf. -tfiat it was riot the intention of the conimittee to comment on, the report. Sr. A. Wylie, wlio appeared for Mr. Firth, stated that he believed iEU-stlga- - tions would show that the t> {legation of . drunkenness .made against jpirth had ' their fouhdatioil iu the Results of a severe illness and its treatment. ■ Several applications -for transfers were approved by the committee, Irol- <in c.p- ---" piicatioß in. respect'.of i the t.ransfor of the license of tl'e Wellington-B'otel -was .held over until January i 7. as certain reports I'egardtl'j fho transferee had yet 'to be investigated.