LICENSES RESTORED.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4995, 2 July 1926, Page 2

LICENSES RESTORED.

PAEROA TWO, WAIHI ONE.

MEMORABLE JULY 1. The adjourned annual meeting of the Ohinemuri Licensing Committee was continued at the Courthouse, Paeroa, yesterday, the chairman (Mr J. H. Salmon, presiding, In answer to the committee the health inspector, Mr B. Frqnklin, reported that the Criterion Hotel at Paeroa was not yet ready to receive a license. The essential work had been completed, but there was still much to be done. He realised the difficulty the proprietor had had to carry out the renovations; on account of having the house full of guests. Senior-Sergeant Maclean agreed that the housie was hardly ready tor the reception of a license. He suggested a short adjournment to enable the committee to inspect the premises.

The health inspector and police reported that in their opinion the Commercial Hotel, Paeroa, and the Rob Royal Hotel, Waihi, wore sufficiently far advanced tp receive licenses that day.

At 12.35 the committee adjourned, and after inspecting the two local hotels resumed the sitting at 12.55. The chairman, in making his pronouncement, said that it was the committee’s desire to keep faith with the applicants for publicans’ licenses. After viewing the premises, it was considered that the work at the Criterion and Commercial hotels, Paeroa, and Rob Roy Family and Commercial Hotel, Waihi, were advancedfar enough to permit of licenses being granted. Licenses would, therefore, be issued to Messrs. L, E. Cassrels (Criterion), E. P. Fathers (Commercial), and J. B. Weedon (Rob Roy). The annual license fee in respect to each hotel named would be £4O.

The meeting was then adjourned until Monday, Juy 5.

By mutual arrangement the two local hotels were opened for the sale of liquor at 2 p.m., and after over 17 years the statutory drought was broken as a, sequel to restoration being carried by the electors in November last.

The leading to the bb : r at the Criterion Hotel were festooned by a barrier of blue ribbon, which was ruthlessly swept aside at 2 o’cock, when the first 'rush sie,t in.

The distinction of being served with the. firsjt drink under the new regime at Paeroa; fell to Wae Ttiq Kuto ! , a Maori 70 years of age. Thebe were large, crowds of people in town all day, and towards closing time of the hotels the number increased. Goodfellowship prevailed, a,nd any signs of unseemly conduct were conspicuous by their absence. By 6 p.m. it •is safe .to say that to many Ohinemuri, and particularly Paeroa, was one df the most convivial places in the Dominion. To-day Pa.eroa h’as returned to normal, and the events of yesterday have been relegated to the history of the past.