MANAWATU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 896, 24 September 1910, Page 3

MANAWATU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

THE FOXTON FAMILY HOTEL. APPLICATION FOR LICENSE 10 BE CANCELLED. POLICE OBJECTION NOT SUSTAINED. The quarterly meeting of the Manawatu Licensing Committee was held at Martou on Thursday. Present: —Messrs R. K. Simpson (chairman), B. P. Lethbridge, Purnell, Perry and Sutcliffe. The only business was au application by the police to determine and put an end to the license in respect to the Family Hotel, Foxton, on the ground that the hotel is improperly conducted. Sergeant Willis conducted the case for the police, Mr Cooper represented the licensee, aud Mr Collins appeared for the owner of the premises. Sergeant Willis referred the Bench to previous reports given by the police, concerning the conduct of the house. The last three reports had been adverse to the licensee. As far as the present objection was concerned it would be shown that on a recent Sunday the house was watched by the police and that various local residents were observed going in and out of the hotel, and that there was reason to suppose that on one occasion liquor was brought out by au individual in a four bushel sack, aud taken into a stable close to the licensed premises, and there partly consumed. These persons had since been served with a summons for being on licensed premises without lawful excuse. The licensee had been charged with drunkenness and resisting the police, but these informations were dismissed.

Sergeant Willis aud Constable Woods gave evidence in support of the foregoing. In reply to Mr Cooper the former admitted that nothing came under his notice sufficient to enable him to bring a charge of Sunday trading against the licensee.

A list of convictions against persons for unlawfully being on the premises was handed in by the police aud Mr Cooper objected holding that the licensee was not responsible for the offences of others. He declared his client was brought before the Committee to answer a specific charge and he was prepared to do it. Sergeant Willis replied that there was a strong presumption that these persons were obtaining drink. Mr Collins pointed out that these men could have been there without the knowledge of the licensee. This closed the case for the police. Mr Cooper said the police had failed to institute proceedings in the ordinary way, and now they had adopted another course to ruin a man by insinuations aud suspicious statements. He asked whether the police had proved anything whatever ? Mr Collins asked the Bench to realise the position from an owner’s point of view. The Chairman announced the Committee desired to hear further evidence. Eleven witnesses were called, who repudiated the suggestion that Sunday trading was going on. Evidence was also given that the house had been well conducted. The Committee after 20 minutes retirement gave their decision as follows :—“The Committee is not fully satisfied with the manner in which the Family Hotel has been conducted, but in its opinion the evidence did not conclusively prove that Sunday trading took place and therefore the police objection that the hotel has been improperly conducted is not sustained.”