SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HOTEL LICENSEE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2185, 14 September 1907, Page 2

SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HOTEL LICENSEE.

Press Association.

CHRISTCHURCH, September 13. The adjourned hearing of the objections by tho police to tho renewal of license of the Criterion Hotel was held before the Christchurch Licensing Committee this afternoon. The information was laid under section 70, sub-section 3, of the Licensing Act of 1881, as follows:—“It shall be lawful for the Licensing Committee at any quarterly licensing meeting to determine and put an end to any license then current if it shall he proved to their satisfaction that a licensed house is conducted in an improper manner, or that the holder of such license is openly and repeatedly intoxicated, or that any conditions upon which the license was granted have not been fulfilled in a satisfactory manner.” Tho alleged misconduct of the house occurred during six or seven months roughly coinciding with the period of tho Exhibition. The main allegation was that in the liouso were 6 or 7 barmaids, who were used to make people drink to excess, and who were “shouted” for by customers and were frequently intoxicated. The customers were pressed to “shout” eba-m----pagno for the girls, and tho girls received men in their bedrooms. A large quantity of very contradictory evidence was given.. The case was adjourned till Wednesday afternoon next, in order that the licensee, who could not attend through illness, might he present: