LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5023, 6 September 1926, Page 2

LICENSING COMMITTEE.

SITTING AT PAEROA. ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING. The Ohinemuri Licensing Committee continued its annual meeting at Paeroa this morning, Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M., presiding over Messrs P. E. Brenan, W. J. Towers, W. Marshall, W, M. Wallnutt, and F. W. Walters. WHOLESALE LICENSES. On behalf of Mr P. Hague-Smith, Paeroa, Mr E. W. Porritt applied for a wholesale license. Mr R. S. Carden, who represented a. prior application for a similar license for Paeroa, asked that the matter be adjourned if there was any likelihood of the committee only granting one. license. Mr Porritt pointed out that all applications made at the annual meeting were simultaneous. The chairman stated that the attitude of the whqle of the committee was that no wholesale licenses shoudl be granted this year. Perhaps after the trade had found its feet applications would then be granted. The applications were therefore struck out. COMMERCIAL HOTEL, WAIHI. H. D. M. Hazard’s application for the Commercial Hotel, Waihi, was presented by Mr Ste.veiis, who pointed out that the building was now” fully furnished. Sergeant' Maclean stated that he had inspected the premises and had found them satisfactory. The license was granted forthwith. Mr Stevens also applied for leave of absence for Mr Hazard. The hotel would be under the odntrol of Mr Jago; who, when the statutory time elapsed, would apply for a transfer. A certificate of Jagb’s fitness had been obtained. The chairman mentioned that by granting the application the committee would be facilitating the transfer. Mr Stevens pointed out that Mr Hazard would continue to be responsible for the conduct of the house. The chairman pointed out that there was no specific authority under the Act, and Mr Stevens argued that it was common practice. After the adjournment the chairman announced that a majority of the committee held that it had no jurisdiction to grant leave of absence under the.se conditions. QUARTERLY MEETING BUS'NESS. Reports were presented concerning the conduct of the hotels already licensed. These were satisfactory in every case. The chairmap pointed out that in some cases boundary fences had not yet been erected. The committee desired to intimate that it expected dilapidated fences, to be put in order, and where no fences were erected that they be erected as soon as possible.

MORRINSVILLE APPLICATION. Judgment on the committee.’s jurisdiction to deal with the application of M. B. Montgomery for a license for premises situated near Moi'rinsville was delivered by the chairman.

The statement traversed the whole of the negotiations, and that the committee had come to the decision that it had no jurisdiction to deal with the application dated July 3 fixing the date of hearing as- July 5 and filed after the meeting on July 5. The application was also defective, as the committee’s directions ha.d not been complied with. T,o approve, the plans of the applicant in these circumstances would simpl,v invite the applicant to proceed with an application which was wholly irregular, and which, even.if granted, would certainly be attacked and equally certainly quashed. The committee ha,d already held that the applicant was entitled to preferential consideration, and it w'as open for her to apply again later. Mr McGregor, of Moi'rinsville, appeared on behalf of Bolton and the other memorialists who opposed the application and asked for costs. The chairman stated that the application had failed through what was really' a. clerical erroi’ and not as a result of the objections-. It therefore did not think any costs were due to the, objectors.

Mr R. McVeagh pointed out that there was nothing to prevent the plans being placed beford the committee at any time for the purpose of obtaining its opinion on their suitability. It was not necessary to give notice of intention to the committee or anyone else, and he. desired to do so at the present meeting. / The chairman said that the committee’s difficulty' had been that if the plans had been approved the committee would thereby have given an indication that the defective application would be in a way, approved. The application had to be decided first, but now this was done the question could be discussed without any suggestion that the committee was- favouring the. application or otherwise.

Mr McGregor asked to be heard, and pointed out that as soon as proper application- was before the committee objections would be made to the plans. If the'committee approved the plans now he contended that the Application would be prejudiced. The chairman said that the committee desired a goo'd sitting room and four additional bedrooms, and adequate sanitary' conveniences.

The annual meeting was adjourned

until December 6, at noon.