THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1882. THE INSPECTION OF LICENSED HOUSES.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2602, 9 August 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1882. THE INSPECTION OF LICENSED HOUSES.

It is difficult to discover any tangible or intelligent reason for the opposition manifested by the City Council to the proposal for the appointment of an inspector of licensed houses, whoso salary shall bo paid by tha city. So far as we can gather from what has taken place, it proceeds mainly from two of tha Council'ora interested in the matter, who seem to have a peculiar aversion to disturbing the present order of things. The fact is patent that, the appointment of such an officer is a necessity, in order that the Act may bo worked efficiently.

That such an appointment was contemplated by the Legislature is amply proved fay the fact that the duty of reporting ftt ;the annual-r.ncl quarterly meetings on the state .of . the licensed houses in the district, is by stitufo placed on the inspector of licensed houses. It is true there is no

mention Of how the necessary funds for the payment of salaries, &e., are to be raised, but it is plain that such disbursements are fairly payable by those who receive the benefit of the fees, Ac. The Act nowhere contains any provision against the application by the Licensing Committee of any district of a reasonable snm for carrying on the working of the Act out of the funds coming into their hands from license fees, which, we taka it, may be construed into a discretionary power being left to them in the matter. It may also be noted that the payment by the applicant of the fee direct to the local body is

merely a matter of convenience. It is quite competent at any time for the Licensing Committee to make a regulation requiring all fees to be paid to them direct, and afterwards distributed through their clerk to the various local bodies entitled to receive them. Soma of the local officials have fallen into the erroneous notion that unless they issue their receipt for the money the licensee cannot sell. Indeed, one officious Town Clerk, for private reasons of his own, declined absolutely to issue a receipt, though a legal tender of the fee had been made. The authority to vend comes direct from the Licensing Committee, and the local bodies have no concern or authority in the matter at all beyond, as we have already

stated, for convenience sake, receiving the fees payable direct from the license-holder instead of through the Committee. It seems to us most unfair for the City Connell, or any other body, receiving the whole benefit of these fees to decline to contribute thereout a small yearly sum to enable the Act to be carried out. The argument is that the police are the proper persons to do the work. To this we most decidedly demur For the particular business which would have to bo discharged by the Inspector, and which it is most decidedly in the public interest should be carried out efficiently and rigidly, the police are the last persons to have a hand in it. The police have, it is true, and very properly so, a right to interfere in all cases where the public order Is concerned, but it does not follow for an instant that with the appointment of an Inspector these powers will cease. On lha contrary, in their particular sphere, the police will he able to render very great assistance to such an officer, hut there are duties beyond this for the discharge of which a person totally distinct from and unconnected with the police, is required. Unless this is dona the impaction made of the houses in the respective districts can be nothing else than a perfunctory one, fulfilling to some extent the requirements of the law, but not in any way protecting the public to that extent that they shonld he. Let us just draw attention to one point which proves the argument. It is a well-known fact that the public lavatory arrangements connected with the greater part of the hotels in Christchurch are a disgrace to the city. Indeed, it is doubtful whether, out of the whole of the licensed houses in the city, there are three in which the proper amount of accommodation in this respect is provided. This is merely one example, and there are numbers of others to which wa could allude. With an inspector constantly visiting the houses and reporting upon improvements, &c., necessary, such a state of things could not exist. As we have said, the arguments used by the Council against the proposal seem to partake solely of a disinclination to disturb present arrangements, under which matters glide along smoothly enough. But wa contend this is not sufficient. In this, as in other matters, wa cannot afford to stand still, and surely the very small moiety of the large sum received annually by the Council for these licenses would bo most judiciously expended in the direotion of the appointing an Inspector, as desired by the committee. We cannot but feel that the committees have been treated by the Council in this matter with scant*— courtesy, and the latter mast not, therefore, complain should the committees take —as wo believe they have the power to do the matter into their own hands. Having made their representation to the Council as to the necessity for the appointment, and also pointed out that the only source and the proper one from which to obtain the sum necessary to defray the cost, is the revenue arising from the fees, the committees, acting in the interests of the public and in discharge of their duty have but one course to porsne—that is to require the various applicants for licenses, &<?., to pay the fees chargeable thereon direct to the clerks of the committees ; and than, after deducting the necessary cost of working the Act, included in which will of coarse ho the inspector’s salary, hand the balance over to the local bodits entiled to receive it. If such a course is adopted as being the only way out of the difficulty in which the action of the City Council has placed the committees, then the Council will have only themselves to thank. We hope, however, that they will not force the committees to consider the adoption of this measure, but that they will gracefully give way, and do what is nothing bat right and equitable under the circumstances.