NELSON GOLD FIELDS LICENSING ACT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1228, 5 July 1872, Page 3

NELSON GOLD FIELDS LICENSING ACT.

A new Publicans' Licensing Act for the Nelson Gold Fields was passed during the late session of the Council. The Licensing Act, 1868, is repealed, and any tinexpired license issued thereunder shall be deemed to be a license issued under the new Act. Licences are now divided into three classes-- Ordinary, Accommodation, and Bottle Licenses. Every house for which an ordinary license is granted must contain in addition to the apartments used and occupied by the holder of the license, or at lease two moderate-sized sittingorooms and three sleeping-rooms constantly ready and fit for public accommodation, and, if not within a town, sufficient stabling and provender for four hones. All licenses now issued must ex* pire on June 30th or December 31st, and it shall be granted for a longer period than twelve months, nor less than six months. The fees payable are as follows : —For ordinary yearly licenses, L3O ; for half-yearly, Ll7. Yearly bottle licenses, L2O; ana half-yearly, Ll2. Quarterly, in the months of March, June, September, and December, the Justices Bhall hold a licensing meeting at Westport, Cobden, Ahaura, Charleston, and Reefton, to consider transfers and renewals of licenses. All applications for granting, or renewing ordinary or bottle licenses must be made in writing seven days prior to the hearing; notice posted outside the Court House and the premises to which the application refers and advertised in {local paper. On payment of a fee of Os, a special permit may be granted to holders of ordinary licenses to sell liquors at places of public recreation, at a. racecourse, ball; or other entertainment. Any room connected with a licensed house, whether detached or otherwise, shall be deemed part of the licensed house, and subject to the provisions of Act. The following clause is an important one to the holders of bottle licenses:— "If the holder of a bottle license shall ■ell any spirituous liquors, ale, beer, porter, or wine, in any less quantity than two gallons, unless the same shall be in bottles corked and sealed, capsuled or wired, or shall permit any liquor sold by such person to be. consumed upon the licensed premises, shall be liable to pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding fifty, pounds. "