PUBLICAN'S FINE RECORD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2139, 12 June 1920, Page 4

PUBLICAN'S FINE RECORD.

For 50 years, Benjamin Perry, senr., of the Occidental Hotel, Christchurch, has held a publican’s license in New Zealand, and in the whole of that 'period no conviction has been recorded against him. The Christchurch Licensing Committee, at its last meeting, congratulated Mr Perry on his tine record. AY hen Mr Perry’s application was called, the chairman of the committee (Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M.), bade the veteran come forward. Mr McCarthy then staled that the Committee had taken note of Mr Perry’s clean record , and that members proposed to have his new license framed, so that it might be a memento to him. Police-Superintendent B. Dwyer .said that he had known Mr Perry for 35 years. In Oamaru, from 1885 to 1896, the Empire Hotel, of which Mr Perry was then licensee,had come under his official eye every day. It had been a pleasure to go through the house, which was kept scrupulously clean by Mi’s Perry. Later, Mr Perry purchased the Occidental Hotel, in Christchurch, which was then in very bad repute as jx gathering place for undesirables of both sexes. Under the new management, the whole conduct of the place had been changed in six months. And everyone knew the high standard of the Occidental today, both for accommodation and for licpior. Daring the whole 35 vears of their friendship, the Superintendent had never heard a word of complaint against Mr Perry. It had all been praise. He was one of the good publicans, and it would he a good thing if they were all like him. The licensee, who was visibly a licet ed by these tributes, said that he was quite 1 alien hack, and asked lo he excused from replying. He walked to his seal accompanied by hearty applause from members of '(lie Committee and from Ids fellowpublicans in the room.