GREY LICENSING BENCH.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 5 June 1901, Page 2

GREY LICENSING BENCH.

This Day—Wednesday, June sth".

(Before Messrs Petrie (cliaii Larkin,Bigncll, M'Kay and Flynm)? The annual sitting took place hi the" Court House to-day at noon. An afyjjili" cation for a new wholesale license in tows* was withdrawn, the Act not permitting' of any new license. There were several applications for new hotel and accommodation licenses; but, as no license had fallen owt since last Local Option Poll, none of these could be entertained. Inspector M'Donald reported as follows : "During the last year there were fifteen prosecution under the provisions of the licensing laws, viz -.—Sunday trading 4, delays in admitting police 1, supplying an intoxicated person l r breaches of law in connection with prohibited persons 4; mid selling drink to children 5.

In nine of those cases convictionk weieretained, two Were withrawn, and four were dismissed.' There was an increase of twelve in arrests for drunkenness on the previous year, the numbers being 58 for this year against 46 for the one before. This does not appear large considering the number of hotels to the population. I reported last year that complaints reaches me re youths being encouraged!or allowed to remain too late in some' hotels. I now regret having to say thatf such complaints were more frequent during the present year, mothers (iancO some times fathers) complaining bitterly »f.: their sons being thus ruined, etc, and mve» making similar complaints in reference to. their husbands. I am satisfied thesecomplaints are not made without some cause, and'l regret not being able to givemoro assistance to check the evil. I„ however, can assure you that proceeding* wero taken in every case in which the* evidence appeared to justify our doing soy ■ and we shall in future do the same ir* I every case coming under our notice. - ; If the persons complaioing would only give us a little more assistance, it might, very materially help us ; they, however,, tell me that their doing so might possibly be the means of wrecking their homes, etc,, which in some cases is no doubt true.. These are only some of the difficultiesmet with in dealing with cases of this description. So long as we have »o many licensed houses of various kinds, oolong; will the law be broken in the struggle' for existence that must follow. I would again draw attention to the* fact that, apparently there are several accomodation licenses in the district in contravention of Section 32 of the Act of 1881.

Sergeant Shirley again reports that ha finds reasonable means of escape incase of fire, provided in all the hotels in town, I always advocated hotel keepers having a handy ladder always kept on the premises ready for use in case of fire, for as a rule there are always some people about who could carry it round to any window should the fire prevent the use of fixed escapes. Indeed I know of nothing better than such ladders, 'they can be so easily carried to any window, at any rate where buildings are not more than two storey high." The Committee intimated that they were determined to give the police all the assistance they could and would generally follow their recommendations. They asked that in future reports it should be clearly stated whether the required accommodation was provided. In regard to several hotels reported upon, the Committee ordered that repairs, which were of a minor character, should be undertaken at once, and that all recommendations of the police must be complied with before next annual licensing meeting, or licenses would be The Committee also directed that the attention of the Borough authorities be called to the police report in sanitary matters. In regard to the extension of m two licenses atßrunner to eleven o'clock, the Committee stated that having already granted one unopposed for an eleven o'clock license they did hot feel justified in refusing two other applications, but stated that at next annual meeting the • matter of' reducing all to ton o'clock would be considered.

The following applications were granted:

BENEWALS —HOTEL LICENCE. J. Lutz, Wharf, Greymouth. H. Griffiths, Club, Greymouth, J. O'Brien, Caledonian, Greymouth, J. Brimble, Duke of Edinburgh, Greymouth.

P. Mahoney, Trafalgar, Greymouth. M. Hannan (10 o'clock), Recreation, Greymouth. M. Ryan, Union, Greymouth, P. Phelan, Golden Eagle, Greymouth. V. Bevelacqua, Criterion, Greymouth. T. Oxenham, Gilmer, Greymouth, J. Giesekiug, Albion, Greymouth. E. Pounder, Oriental, Greymolh. A. Ashton, Ashton's Greymouth. J. M'Kiuty, Rose of Australia, Greymouth. W. Claughesey, Empire, Greymouth. D. Shcedy, Brian Boru, Greymouth. G. Andersen, Suburbon, Greymouth. W. Revington, Revington's, Greymouth.

J. Cornish, Waverley, Greymouth. J. M'Carthy, Commercial, Greymouth. R. Keown, (10 o'clock) Australasian, Greymouth. R. Barnhill, Maori Creek, Dunganville.

William M'Kechnie, New River, Dunganville.

H. Jones, (extension to 11 o'clock) Terminus, Brunner. P. Moore, (extension to 11 o'clock) Empire, Wallsend. J. Noonan, Cosmopolitan, Dobson. A. MTlroy, Union; Wallsend. R. Russel 1 , Buck's Head, Taylorville. W. Fitzpatrick, Albion, Wallsend. J. Hannah, Railway, Ngahere. B. O'Brien, Ngahere, Ngahere. P. Gillen, Gillen's, Twelve-Mile. J. Mullins, Kelly's, Twelve-Mile. H. Smith, Commercial, Ahaura. T. Garth, Garth's, Ahaura. B. Gough, Gough's, Ahaura. J. Kennedy, Kennedy's, Ahaura. A. Gilmer, Commercial, Oiwell Creek. P, Fallon, Cosmopolitan, No Town. ACCOMMODATION LICENSES.

J. Byrne, Tramway, Paroa. D. Henry, Ferry, Seven-Mile." C. Warren, Wan-en's, Ten Mile. T. Burns, All Nations, Barrytown. W. Williams, Upper Blackball. J. Hennigan, Union, Maori Gully. G. Batira, Batira's, Mawheraiti. E. Thomas, Merrijigs, Merrijigs. "M. Frolli, Frolli's, Orwell Creek. J. Parsons, Welcome Inn, Little Beach. W. Robertson, St, Kildalnn, St. Kilda. J. Kennedy, Midland, Kokiri. C. Murphy, Murphy's, Ahaura. H. James, Union, Ahaura. W. Young, Young's, Totara Flat. H. Erickson, Midland, Totara Flat. Same, Refreshment Rooms, Station. Totara Flat.

F. Campbell, (10 o'clock) Grey ValleyNelson Creek crossing. R. Potts, Bridge, Nelson Creek.

J. Tobin, Commercial, Hatter's Terrace, J. Flaherty, Club, Hatter's Terrace. J. Merlon, Union, Hatter's Terrace. W. Sherman, Junction, Blackball. T. Kinsella, Blackball, Blackball. M. Smith, West Coast, Charleston. D. Collins, City, Charleston. A. Peters, European, Charleston. T. Lande, Melbourne, Charleston. C. Todd, Empire, Moana. E. Devereux, King's, Moonlight. J. Finnerty, accommodation, Dash's Big Bivcr. TRANSFERS. J. O'Brien to J. Baxter, Junction Hotel, Stillwater. J. T. Tidd to Wm. Wilson, Imperial Hotel, Greymouth. APPLICATIONS FOE OLD HOUSES. J. Thornton, Hamilton's Hotel, CobW. Prendergast, Cobden Hotel, Cobden. . , _ ~ W. Wilson, Imperial, Greymouth. T. Thomas, Blackball, Blackball. BOTTLH LICENSE. W. E. Kettle, M. Smith, D. M'Lean, and M. M'Donald were granted renewals. There being no vacant licenses the Bench refused the following : NEW APPLICATIONS. The following applications for new licenses were refused, the Committee having no power to add to the number. W. King, accommodation license, Upper Moonlight. 'J. F. Johnston, accommodation hcense, Ikamatua.