LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1923, Page 4

LICENSING COMMITTEE.

WEDNESDAY.. OCT. 24th. The adjourned quarterly meeting of the above Committee sat at Oreymouth at noon. Present:—.Messrs Meldrum, S.M., (Chairman), 11. Bi.mell. F. Tvilgottr. C. J, Nightingale, and J. W. Campbell. The Committee met to consider the reports from the police or. the conditions as lo the accommodation available for the public use in the boroughs of (Ireymoutli and Hokitika. REPORT ON HOKITIKA LICENSED PREMISES. The following letter from Sergt. King of Hokitika, accompanied his report on the licensed premises within the Borough of Hokitika. The report occupied over JO sheets of fooKcap of typewritten detail matter, ending with remarks on each hotel:—“I respectfully report inspecting the whole of the licensed premises in the Hokitika borough. The inspection discloses the condition of th,. hotels to bo fairly satisfactory. although six hotels, are not what I consider, to he getting the attention the bedrooms require. Some of the rooms in those six houses aic lacking in tidiness. The furniture generally is old and lias had much wear. These are the eiass ol houses which the ordinaly working man makes his home. Taking these facts into consideration, one would not expect to find first-class furniture. No doubt when the rush for accommodation takes place during the Exhibition, great difficulty will he experienced in getting accommodation. Some of the hotels even new have the cubic capacity taxed, considering I lie Health aulhoritie- consider AOD cuhie foot of air space necessary, per adult. I mention two of the hotels espeeiallv. where more attention should be given in the bedroom part "F ibe premises. Portions of one of the hotels are quite unlit for habitation, unless considerable alterations are effected at once, and before persons are allowed to occupy those rooms already mentioned."

Red Lion Hotel. Hokitika.• -'! hi* house lias 2A permanent hoarders; other rooms are for the use of the public. A new wing is now being erected which will contain some 17 extra permanent rooms, these will also he for the public use. This house is elcan throughout. It is reasonably furnished. Electric light is installed m every room. The l'.ou-e is well kept. Pioneer Hotel, Hokitika.—This house is provided with electric light throughout. The licensee says she intends to convert the hack pailour into a bedroom. The genera! condition of the house is clean and well kept. I’osfc Office Hotel. Hokitika. The stclomniedalioti at those premises is very limited. Soiu,. A bedrooms being available in the public, including permanent hoarders. AOO cubic feet of air space ideemed .-.ttfiiciont per p-re-on. f l!ns is the recemnu mlaliou of th,. m-dies! eihcer of Health. .Marquis of I one lluiel. Hokitika. • Ibis hotel has 1(1 permanent hoarders, workers. Four rooms are now in com re of ii novation and alteration, oari .'liters ar,. now in the building. Genre-ally speaking the house is clean. Central Hotel. Hokitika. This Imu-o

has just re.-cully been renovated throughout, exleiior painted etc. The house is well kept and the rooms in good order. Eleol rio light installed throughout. I'eriiiaiienl hoarders tl. .Southland Hotel. Hokitika.—Taking this hulls,, throughout it is moderately furm-'m-d and reasonably clean. There ali' ■■line A pciiunucut b-U’.nleis, the oilier rooms being available to I he p illlie. J-.'.e.-tric light throughout. Occidental Hotel, Hokitika. Tins house is very old. the floors are beginning to recede in places i.p laic , and the time is not far di-lant hciVre a new building will have to bn .taken in hand. Commercial Hotel, Hokitika Generally speaking Hie bedrooms me in fair condition, and may be considered sufficiently furnished. This house hr eh trie light installed in -ittuig mm's dining room and bar. Dunedin Hotel. 1 Ini: itiki.. -This house is not yet out of tlie earjieiitei's hands. Th,. two bedrooms No-. 7 ami 8 are ill the course of being Hit ni-lied. The portion of the leiildiug oil the soul 1 1 side has only recently been reerected, kitchen ~nlarged and improve.|. Eie-tric light llnoughoul. Railway Hotel. Hokitika.- This house is well and sullieiently fiii'iii-he-l throughout, eieetrie light installed. 8 perni'ineiii hoarders. House well kepi. I‘oritou of the baleuny |ail it inne-l ell to accommodate J single beds. Dominion Hotel. Hokitika.-- This house is well and siiilicieul iv furnished throughout. Electric light installed throughout. Rooms f. and w. only occupied by permanent hoarders, the rest available to travelling public. Club Hotel, Hokitika. Extensive alterations have been under-taken on the ground Hoot" of this hotel, while alterations are in hand on the top floor. Two Inigo looms, with a cubic capacity of 272.fi cubic I’cct and Jl-1A cubic feet respectively are about to bo converted into bedrooms. Kellers';; Hotel. Hokitika.—This house is well furnished llnoughoul. Eieetrie light installed throughout. 1 Vrmanciit hoarders occupy five rooms. Tlii> other rooms are available for public use. A room hitherto Used as a sample ream is being converted into two bedrooms, to contain 2 single beds in each. Cubic capacity of each room 2A20 feet. Masonic Hotel. Hokitika—This house has recently changed hands. The licensee. John Morgan, intends to reorganise the whole of the bedrooms. On the date of my inspection the ] Into was very unsettled, hut from the licensee's idea of renovation, if he carries it out. the place will le sati-lac-tni-v. I have every rea-on to believe he will do it. REPORT ON GREYAHHTH LICENSED PREMISE*. The following covering letter from Sergt. McCarthy accompanied his detailed report on the licensed premises

in Grryinoulh. as to tlie accommodation that is available for tbc travelling public. The report covered eight closely type written foolscap sheets ol paper and summarises his report, in each case, with a few plain remarks. The remarks on the whole were vely favourable : - ‘T bog to report that in accordance with your instructions I have inspected every hotel in Greymouth. and herewith submit a detailed li-t for your information. The only unfurnished room T found nos Xo 10 in the Criterion Hotel, and this room is not suitaide for a bedroom. Generally the accommodation is very good, and in all the commercial houses the standard of cleanliness and comfort is equal to that found in any other pair of the Dominion. The Dost Office Hotel is extending its accommodation to the extent of lb bedrooms, whi.Ji will be ready in a few days. The Imperial hotel needs renovating: the painters are now at work, and T am informed that extensive alterations are contemplated. The licensee of the Commercial hotel inhumed me that the contract has been let tor the alterations to that hotel. The Crierion hotel also needs renovating. This house is not furnished up to the standard of the other houses, hut the licensee informs me that it is as well furnished as his class of trade warrants. I have examined all the rooms carefully, and I have not seen anything to indi cate that any of the licensees are evading their responsibilities in the matter of providing accommodation. The Chairman stated that on the whole the reports of Senior Sergt. 31c-

Catrthr and Sergt. King were fairly satisfactory,-showing the licensees in the towns of Greymoutli and Hokitika wore flying to carry out the improvements asked for. The Committee, at last meeting intimated that it was not going to issue licenses merely oh the premise ot improvements. This, iu future would he adhered to. Some ol the hotels in Hokitika were not too well furnished, but taking into consideration that they arc mainly places where working men make their homes, the Committee did not expect first class aecommo'datien. The Committee wished re thank both Sergts. McCarthy and King for th,, very clear and lucid re- ] ort they had compiled, the details showing that they hud gone to a lot of trouble in their work. He said that all licensees who were required to make improvements would b<- expected, to carrv them out without delay.