LICENSING COURTS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3102, 7 June 1881, Page 3

LICENSING COURTS.

The Licensing Courts for the district ofN. ier, Petard, and Ngaruroro, sat this morning in the Court House. Present: Commissioners Kenny (chairman), Batham, R. P. Williams, J. A. Smith, Tuke, and Tanner. NGABTJRORO. The following licensee, transfers, and renewals, were granted : —Exchange Hotel, new license, to H. O. Caulton. Farndon Hotel, transfer from George White to Charles Helander. Railway Hotel, Hastings, renewal, to W. A. Beecroft. Waikonini Hotel, renewal, to W. J. Jones. Hastings Hotel, renewal, to John Kelly. Konini Hotel, renewal, to John Madden. Paki Paki Hotel, renewal, to P. Maroney. West Clive Hotel, renewal, to W". Ruddick. Havelock Hotel, renewal, to W. H. Simp:on. Pacific Hotel, Hastings, renewal, to S. A. Snelling. NAPIER DTSTRTCT. A report, by the Inspector of Police, upon the different hotels in the town was read from the bench, in which it was stated that, with two exceptions, the general management of the hotels Lad been remarkably good, and the accommodation supplied had been good both in quantity and quality. The exceptions were the Royal Hotel, licensed to Mr Limbrick, who had been convicted twice during his tenancy of allowing gambling in his house, and who had shown himcolf to be a most undesirable landlord. The house had, however, been let to Mr Raven, who, he believed, would make a good landlord. The other exception was the Commercial Hoi el at the Spit, licensed to Mr Plank. The premises had been kept in a 'most dirty and disorderly condition, ?" d the proprietor had proved himself most unsuitable as an hotelkeeper ; if it had not been that the house was about to change hands he would have recommended that it be closed. The outhouses of the Occidental Hotel were in a dirty condition, and required attending to. With regard to the Clarendon Hotel he had to complain of the condition of the back premises, but Mr Peddie had just bought the freehold, and was about to erect a new and suitable hotel. He had also to complain of the condition of the premises in the rear of the Albion Hotel. The burnt timber from the late fire had never been removed, and was very objectionable. He also directed the attentioa of the bench to the fact that several of the hotels had very narrow staircases leading to the upper premises, and asked the bench to express an opinion upon the danger that might arise 4 therefrom in case of fire.

The Chairman said that the bench considered that no new licenses should be granted to houses unless the &taircases were of proper width, or renewals granted to houees with narrow stairc.ses unless steps were being taken to remedy fhe fault. In two-storied hotels in Wellington provision Lr escape in case of fire was provided in the shape of knotted ropes, and it was veiy desirable that this should be done.

The following licenses were granted : — Commercial Hotel, Spit, new license, to Thomas Parker. Napier Hotel, transfer, from John Ashton to Henry Fletcher. Criterion Hotel, transfer, from J. Q. Becker to H. Ferguson. Occidental Hotel, transfer, from C. H. Smith to F. Wells. Ferry Hotel, transfer, from W. B. Garnham to J. McAneney. Caledonian Hotel, renewal, to R. Barrows.

Crown Hotel, Spit, renewal, to Joseph Bell, London Hotel, renewal, to L. Einuey. Exchange Hotel.—Reference was made by the Inspector to the want of urinals at the rear of this hotel, and the bench granted a renewal of the license for three months, with an intimation that, unless the required improvements were made in that time, the house would be closed. Albion Hotel.—The Inspector reported in reference to this hotel that tbe building was in excellent order, but the back premises were in a deplorable condition with charred wood from the recent fire. Mr Dennett said he had done bis utmost to have matters set right, and the charred timber removed by the Insurance Company, and he would see that it was done without delay. Eenewal granted. Shakespeare Hotel, renewal to J. Gray. Star Hotel, renewal granted. Empire Hotel, renewal, to W. Mayo. Clarendon Hotel, renewal, to T. Peddie. Royal Hotel, transfer, to 0. Raven. City Terminus Hotel, renewal, to J. Roulston. Masonic Hotel, renewal, to T. Shirley. Occidental Hotel, transfer to F. Well's. This was granted for three months, and intimation given that alterations must be made in the back premises. Shamrock Hotel, renewal, to J. P. Smith. Victoria Hotel, renewal, to W. Stock. Railway Hotel, Spit, renewal, to J. Young. PETANE DISTEICT. The following renewals were granted in this district: — Waverley Hotel, to G. H. Boggs. Travellers' Rest, Pohui, to J. King. Greenmeadows Hotel, to A. M'Cartney. Taradale Hotel, to A. M'Donald. Meanee Hotel, to H. Vaughan. Petane Hotel, to W. Villers. WAIEOA DISTRICT. The renewal of all the publican's licenses was granted. The police objected to any music being played in hotels unless the permission of the Licensing Court had been granted.