The Licensing Problem.

Manawatu Herald, 2 July 1903, Page 3

The Licensing Problem.

CONTEMPLATED TEST CASE. * From yesterday the no-license regime begins for throe years in Ashburton, licenses having lapsed at .11 o’clock on Tuesday night. Although there was a large number of people about the streets and frequenting the hotels on the night of closing nothing out of the ordinary occurred, and the police cells were without an occupant. During the evening the railway refreshment rooms lessee received a telegram from the Colonial Secretary instructing him to close the bar without fail that night, and the instructions were complied with. The Ashburton Club management also received a wire from the Colonial Secretary revoking the charter. A meeting of the executive of the Club was at once held, and it was decided to close the bar and continue to sell liquor in the club rooms in order to test the right of the Colonial Secretary to revoke the charter which was granted in 1886. THE HOTELS KEEP OPEN IN NEWTOWN. The police paid a visit to the Newtown hotels yesterday and made purchase of liquor with a view to future proceedings. All the hotels are keeping open despite the refusal of the committee to issue licenses.