THE GAMBLING CASE AT THE RICCARTON HOTEL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2240, 7 June 1881, Page 3

THE GAMBLING CASE AT THE RICCARTON HOTEL.

At the sitting of the Licensing Bench this morning, Mr Thomas applied in the usual manner for the renewal of the license of Chas, Lewis, for the Biccarton Hotel. Superintendent Broham opposed the application. His Worship said the grounds for the opposition had been fully set out in tho press reports of a case in which a drunken man had been allowed, if not encouraged, to gamble away a horse, harness, and dray, which was not his property. The information gained from the above source had been supplemented by the police, and he had no hesitation in describing :,t as the grossest, most disgraceful misconduct he had ever heard of. He further said that he had no doubt if the law had boon properly laid down to the justices who tried the case against Lewis a conviction would have been secured. The renewal of the license would be refused. Mr Thomas pointed out that this decision really meant a fine of £2OOO or £3OOO ; surely the Bench would not go so far as that ? If the Bench would adjourn the application for fourteen days he would undertake to procure, by that time, either a purchaser or another tenant for the hotel. His Worship said he did not see what benefit would oomo from an adjournment ; according to Mr Thomas’ plan the license would have to be granted in the first place to Lewis, and sooner than grant a license to him he would retire from the Bench. He would not give it for a single day ; not for a single hour. However, the Bench did not want to punish any one but Lewis—if any one else were involved—and they world adjourn the application for a fortnight, in order that Mr Thomas might then be able to point out, if he could, any authority for tho course ho sought to bo pursued.