THE DISTRICT’S HOTELS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2101, 8 June 1907, Page 2

THE DISTRICT’S HOTELS

INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

Tho Waiapu Licensing Bench had r the following reports presented yes- j toiday:— ' The District Health Officer, Dr. De f Lisle, reported that ho visited the Ormond hotel on April 10 and found j much of tho front part of tho house, 1 which iB the oldor portion, suffering : much from dry rot, tho floor being < quite decayed. Tho newer portion of < the house is iu a fair state of preser- j vat-ion, but tlio bedrooms are close, cabined, confined, being woefully do- ] ficient in cubic space, and not provided with any ventilation. The front house should be entirely rebuilt and tho back portion should ho reconstructed in such a manner to ensuie decent bedrooms containing a proper amount of cubic space and provided with an apjirovod method of ventilation. The present condition must bo detrimental to the health of those occupying the looms, and immediate step should bo taken to insist that tlio hotel bo made to conform to the necessities of public health. Reporting upon the Waerenga-a-hika Hotel, tho District Health Officer stated that ho visited and examined the hotel, and found that it is in tlic last stage of delapidation. It is badly affected with the borer, an.l the floors and even tho stairs appear to bo unsafe from dry rot. The condition of the liouso would fully justify him in condemning the building under section 11 of the Public Health Amendment Act, 1903, but the powers vouchsafed in the Act are so drastic that to exert its provisions against an hotel would have disastrous effects on the license, and lie was therefore loth to resort to it. Tho house must be entirely rebuilt, ami lie recommended the Committee to insist on this being done at thennext meeting. Detective Maddern, as officer in charge of the Gisborne police station, reported that since the last annual meeting an addition had been made to the Record Reign hotel, giving room for 16 extra boarders, besides other rooms and conveniences. The licensee was convicted on January 23, 1907, of permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises, and was fined £5 and costs. Prior to that the police had grave doubts about the condition of this house as to keeping within the limits of the law, but since then the house had been well conducted, and if conducted as well in the future as the past few months, there will be very little room for complaint. He found the rooms, bedding, diningroom. and kitlicen - very clean, and not the slightest complaint made against the house during tlio quarter. In the Royal Hotel he found the rooms, bedding, and dining-room very clean, and, as far as he knew, not a complaint against the house or licensee. The. Turanganui Hotel had changed hands lately, and the present licensee had had little or no hotel experience, but so far the house lias been well conducted. This house is a very hard -one to run, on account of having most of the seamen’s trade. Ho found the rooms, bedding, diningroom, kitchen, and outside premises • clean. At tlio Gisborne Hotel he 1 found everything, both in and out, ; scrupulously clean, and everything ’ that could he desired, which reflected great credit on the licensee. The Ma- ' sonic Hotel, though an old building, was well kept and very-clean every- ’ where, inside as well as out. It was : a very popular house with the travel--1 ling public. The Coronation Hotel was well kept, clean throughout, and every attention paid to the travelling public from the appearance of I everything inside the house. The outside premises were very clean. The British Empire Hotel was well kept | and clean throughout—a very popu-

lar house with the country people.

The Albion Club Hotel has bad a large number of alterations since the last annual meeting. It was chiefly patronised by country people, and a popular resort for them. He found the bedding and rooms clean throughout. - The detective called attention to the water •closets and'urinal at this house. These places are used by hundreds who never patronise the hotel, sim ply because these conveniences are far more convenient and cleaner than the only public one in Gisborne, viz., the one on the wharf. These places are open day and night. At the time he visited the hotels tile accommodation in each was heavily taxed, and three of them, viz., Masonic, Coronation, and Albion Club, had shake-downs in any place where one could bo placed. Concluding, the officer drew attention to the increase of drunkenness during the quarter over the previous quarter, which included the Christmas holidays, when tlio numbor locked up was only two, but that did not represent anything like the extra drunkenness. The only reason he could' give for this was that a very bad system had sprung up hero. Wlie n men are leaving hotels, after having sufficient liquor, they are supplied with one or more bottles. This refers more particularly to Saturday nights. When on the streets they start to drink the contents, throwing the bottles anywhere on the footpath or street. It was to be greatly deplored that such a system existed. The remedy for this was in the hands of the licensees. These remarks about the bottles were taken to refer to the young men who visit the town on Saturdays. He had not heard of any complaints against the conduct of any house for the quarter in the Gisborne Borough. Detective Maddern further reported favorably on the Roseland, Royal Oak, Bridge, Muriwai, and Tatapouri hotels. The Waerenga-o-kuri Hotel appeared to be very old. The bedrooms and bedding were clean, although old-fashioned, but well kept. The outside of the. building looked very dirty for the want of a coat of paint. The lower part inside would also be better for a coat of paint and paperhanging. When he visited the house the weather was very bad, and the road outside in front of the house was a sea of slush, which no doubt was very hard on the licensee.

The Tiniroto Hotel he was unable to visit for want of time.

Constable Doyle, Te Karaka, reported favorably upon the Rangatira, Patutalii, Oil Springs, and Kaitaratahi hotels. The premises of the latter were in good repair, with the exception that a sitting-room required re-papering, and the front of the building painting. Ormond: This hotel has been well conducted during the past twelve months. The building requires painting outside, and the interior requires re-paper-ing and renovating throughout. Waerenga-a-hika Hotel: George Patterson Priestly, licensee, . was on November 27th last, fined £5 Is and costs, for exposing liquor for sale on Sunday, November -lth last. The decision of the Magistrate’s Court was appealed against, but the appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court. During the hearing of a charge- of assault, against a Native, on February 23rd last, Mr. Barton, S.M.. commented strongly on the conduct of the present licensee, who admitted having squirted water in the ear of the Native when in his hotel, and thereby

provo'kod tho assault. Tlio bedrooms iu this liotol aro small and stuffy. Tlio ground iloor is lower than the road and in a delapidated condition,

partly owing to last July flood, which entered tho building, and silted up underneath. Tho floor is uneven, having sunk down and broken away in'places. When it is raining the water conies into the back portion of tho main passage. If the building is allowed to remain, it requires painting outside, and the inteiior 10papored and renovated throughout; also a now ground floor. Motu Accommodation house: This house has been well conducted during the past twelve months. Tho addition of four rooms arranged to ho built has not yea been quite completed, but should be ready for tho public in a week fiom now (May 24th). Constable McLeod, Tolaga Bay, reported :—Tolaga Bay hotel: This house has been well conducted during the past year. ' The drainage is most complete, and the yards, etc., aro clean and well kept. The fire-escape is by means of a wooden staircase at the eastern end and balcony, wi 1 ladder in front. Pakarae hotel: I his hotel has been well conducted during the past year, and the travelling public have received eareiul attention. Th 3 hotel, however, is too small, o , and out of date to properly accommodate the travelling public. A new house is needed This matter was delayed by the last annual meeting of tho Committee owing, to the bridge site not, being settled. The site has now been decided on, and tlio bridge, he understood, was to be built about a mile from the present hotel. Constable Baker, Waipiro Bay, reported -.—The licensed premises in the Waipiro sub-district have been failly well conducted during the time 1 have been stationed here, which is about

four months. The houses arc all clean, and in a fairly good state of repair, and are equal to the demands of the trade. The houses in question are: Tuparoa hotel, Tawhiti hotel, Waipiro Bay, and Tolcomaru hotel. Constable Mellsop, Port Awanui, reported: —Kawakawa hotel: Nothing to complain of. New licensee (D. Hawkins) has stopped the salo of “jugs” to Maoris, which materially tends to decrease drunkenness. Waiapu hotel, Te Rahul: Nothing to complain of; house better conducted than previously. Rose hotel, Port Awanui. Now in good order and condition Nothing to complain of. Conducted satisfactory with -licensee resident on premises. If “jug” trade cculd be stopped drunkenness would diminish. Sea View hotel, Port Awanui. Now in, good condition and well furnished. Nothing to complain of. If licensee could see his way to abolish “jug” trade there would be les3 drunkenness amongst Maoris.