QUARTERLY LICENSING MEETING.

Evening Star, Issue 2823, 6 March 1872, Page 2

QUARTERLY LICENSING MEETING.

Yesterday. (Before Messrs Strode, E.M.; Fulton, R.M.; Captain Fraser, Jaa. Biwn, J, Griffen, R. H. Leary, and J. Mnrison, J.P.’s.) TRANSFERS. The following transfers were granted : Mary M'Guire, Imperial, to W. H. Haydon ; W. Watson, Royal, to J. Watson ; W, Woodland, Royal George, to Jane Towers ; H. Crone, Maitland, to J. Baxter ; J. White, Argylle, Sunnyside, to L. Marshall. Edward Holmes’s application fora transfer of his license for the Golden Age, Stafford

street, to Alex. Mee, was opposed by the Commissioner of Police, on the ground that Mee had been several times up for lunacy, and that he had attempted to stab a bailiff of the Court. Mr Stout, who appeared for the applicant, applied for an adjournment, with the view of having the license transferred to another person ; but the Bench declined to grant the application, as it could be made at the next licensing m.-etiuj, and declined to sanction the transfer of the license to Mee, as they considered him unfit to hold it.

Guy Bennett applied for a general, and a general night license, for the premises a the corner of Manse and Staff ml streets, and to be known as the City Hotel. Mr Harris appeared for the app icant, and Mr Stout for Mr Sibbald, of the Provincial Hotel. Mr Harris read a memorid from Mr George Hepburn, of Waikari, to the effect that he was theowner of the premises, which consisted of two bars and eight sitting and bed-rooms, erected to be used as an hotel, and for which purpose the building had been specially fitted up, at a cost of upwards of LIOOO The premises, till January, 1870, formed part of the Provincial Hotel, and contained, in fact, during the time, the only public bar of that hotel. At that time the tenant, Mr Court, who was paying a rental of L4OO a year, became a bankrupt, and the premises were vested in his trustee, Mr Bathgate, who, notwlthstan ling the memorialist’s remonstrances, transferred the license for the premises to Mr John Sibbald, the proprietor of the adjoining premises, nowlicensed as the Provincial Hot-1. A license had. in 1870, been granted to Mr Thos. A. Jones, but that was rendered useless, owing to the defective constitution of the Licensing Bench on that occasion, by an order of the Supreme Court, Several applications had since been made for a license, and refused, He bad during the last two years, made strenuous efforts to let the premises, but could not do s® except as a hotel; and the refusal of the Bench to grant a lice se prevented his letting the premises for that purpose, and had caused him during that time a loss in rent amounting to nearly LIOOO. In addition to this loss, the alteration of the premises to suit any other business would necessitate the removal of nearly the whole of the expensive fittings, worth LIOUO, and which would then be almost useless He then read a memorial from 23 busino s frms, whose business premises were situate in the immediate locality, in support of his client’s application. There was, he said, no disguising the fact, that the Provinc al hotel ha i not been properly fitted up for some time past, or properly kept. He read from a number of the Daily Times the remarks reported to have been used by the presiding Magistrate of another Court in town regarding a quarrel between street women in a hotel, and, though no name was mentioned in the report, he was prepared to show that the Provincial hotel was the ime referred to. A good hotel was a requirement of the neighborhood, and the only opposition was that of Mr Sibbald’s which was made in a spirit of monopoly. Mr Stout said his friend had urged nothing beyond what had been urged at the previous licensing meeting, and he (Mr Stout) did not think the Bench would overrule the decision of the former meeting. The real question was—was a hotel necessary ? and to this ho would reply that it was not ; in fact, the neighbourhood was full of them. Now, with regard to the slur thrown upon Mr Sibbal.l’s management of the Provincial Hotel. His Worship, the Mayor, had made his remarks upon insufficient testimony. Ho had had no evidence before him, and ho (Mr Stout) considered that the remarks of the Bench, made on that occasion, being on insufficient testimony, were quite unwarranted. After consultation,

Mr Strode : The Bench, by a majority, are of opinion that the application should be declined. They see no possible reason for any alteration in their previous decision. Mr Harris : I wish to put a question, not ju an improper spirit, and which the Bench may answer of course if it pleases them. I would ask your Worship who voted in the affirmative, and who in the negative ? Mr Strode : The dissenting Justices can make their own explanations if they please. I think it a most unusual application, and one which I certainly would not a cede to Mr Harris r But in the Court of Appeal each Judge gives his opinion. Mr Strode: it ia not usual at licensing meetings for Justices to do so. Mr Hams: It is unusual, but I put the question in a respectful way, and knowing the Bench could decline an answer. The matter then dropped.

The applications of Thomas Cleary, Royal Exchange, Walker street, to Michael Butler, aud Alex. Evens, Cromwell Arms, George street, to J. E. Sanders were granted, the applicants being warned that they would have to'improve their premises if they wished to have their licenses continued. KEW APPLICATIONS. Anne Diamond reapplied for a license for a house in Princes street south, to be called the Globe. It was urged by Mr Harris, who appeared for her, that she had been induced to erect the premises at a cost of L7OO, on the representation of carriers who had put up at her place when she kept the Deep Stream hots], West Taieri, that they could not find proper accommodation near their usual stopping place in town. The application was supported by a memorial signed by 20 carriers and 100 other persons, but opposed by the police on the ground that the house was not required in the locality, The Bench, by a majority, declined the application. J. C. Galloway and Francis M'Qrath made application for the eighth time, for licenses for houses situated at the corner of Great King and St. Andrew streets. In the Hrst case the Bench, by a majority, considered that no sufficient reasons had been advanced why the license should be granted ; in the other, they unanimously agreed to refuse it. Th» application of W. R. for a bottle license for his store at Portobello, was opposed by Mr Haggitt on behalf of Mr Coneys, the local hotelkeeper, and refused. TRANSFER OP BOTTLE LICENSES. James Beveridge, store, Great King street, to George Mitchell ; David Cowrie to James M'Dougall; George Blyth, Walker street, to David Wo >d, were g anted. New applications from D. Mason, of Great King street, and W. Wilson, Great King street, for bottle licenses, “ to keep together their business,” wore unanimously declined. Mr Stout appeared for the last applicant, Mr E. Cook opposed him on behalf of the licensee of the Captain Cook Hotel. Mr Strode remarked that the object of the Bench was especially to have the number of bottle licenses as few as possible.