A New Phase of the Licensing Question.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1710, 17 May 1886, Page 4

A New Phase of the Licensing Question.

A case of some interest to hotelkeepers and others, as raising the question — whether a publican can close his licensed promises without permission from the Licensing Bend) or other authorities, wa« heard before Mr Kenrick, R.M., at To Arohfi, recently. John Lloyd, lately landlord of the Commercial Hotel, Waiorongomai, was charged by the police, under the 135 th section of the Licensing Act, with failing to maintain his premises and accommodation at the standard required by law. About tlie middle of April Mr Lloyd intimated to the clerk of the licensing committee that he wished to surrender his license and close his ho!ic<> (iffer the 21st »>f this month. He was informed that surrender could not ■■■" at the tine be- ■accepted, but notwithst'in4;ivj; this the premises were closed, hence the action ot the police. It was arsiK-d by counsel for the defendant that there was nothing m the Act to prevent a publican from surrendering his license at any time, but the Bench vic-vod the matter differently, for the public had to be considered, and it might hnppc-m that other interests were inv:)lvrvl than those of the publican, and these; might suffer. In the case before the Court, however, it was ««hown that no person would be injured, for the house ; wm» not inquired, and the surrender had bef-n wade with the consent of the ovnor of the house. Although there hn--l hs'in no formal acceptance ot the g-irrrnilrr by the licensing committee, the; fn ncli held that, taking all the eir-crm-itfinces into consideration, no breach v*u * "of the Act had been committed, and the case v/.is accordingly dismissed. Counsel, on hriiialf of defendant, applied for costs, but tliey were not allowed, as His "Worship was of opinion that the police had acted rightly m bringing the casa before the Court.