LICENSING COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5212, 5 December 1877, Page 3

LICENSING COURT.

The quarterly sitting of the Incensing Court ■was held yesterday. The following Commissioners were present:—Messrs. J. 0. Crawford, K.M. (chairman), Kcbbell, Moore, and Major Paul. _ . , A deputation from the Benevolent society, consisting of the Plight Bev. Bishop Hadfield, the Yen. Archdeacon Stock, the Bovs. Messrs. West, Paterson, Harvey, Dumbell, Bedstone, Gw, Dewsbury, Beid, and Messrs. J. G. Holdsworth and C. P. Powles, waited upon the Court for the purpose of urging upon their Worships not to grant any new licenses in the Bight Bishop Hadfield said that the members of the Benevolent Society in the discharge of their duties had constantly brought under their notice the evil results arising from the facilities given for obtaining strong drink in Wellington; not that this city was any worse in that respect than others, bat still the tact remained that of the numerous cases brought under the notice of the society large proportion arose from too much drinking. ihey therefore deemed it their duty to point out to the Commissioners that there were already fortyfour licensed houses in Wellington, and they trusted that number would not be increased. The deputation would also remind the Court that a similar effort was made in September last, when a petition signed by 2000 persons was presented. Under the circumstances the deputation came there that day to express a strong hope that the Court would not at present grant any new hotel licenses. In reply to the Chairman the Bishop said he had addressed a letter to the Court, in his capacity as President of the iemperance Alliance, on the same subject. The Chairman said that his brother Commissioners and himself would give due weight and consideration to the reasons advanced by the depntation. The Bishop, on behalf of the deputation, thanked the Court and withdrew. The business before the Court was then proceeded with. queen's hotel, lambton-qday. Mr. J. E. Brown, for whom Mr. Oilivier appeared, made an application for a license for this house. . Mr. Oilivier said that although this was nominally a new application, it was an application for a house that had been formerly licensed. It had been known as the Army and Navy Hotel, and the Lady Bowen, and had been used as a hotel for many years; but the building had fallen into a dilapidated condition, and the license was withdrawn. The house had now been rebuilt, and was in every way well fitted for an hotel. The Court adjourned the case for a fortnight in order to inspect the building. duff’s hotel, ooba-street. Mr. W. W. Bishop applied for a license for this house, which is situated at the corner of Cuba and Webb streets. Mr. Barton appeared for the applicant, and Mr. oilivier to oppose on behalf of some of the inhabitants of the locality who objected to the license being granted. Mr. Barton proposed to call evidence as to the fitness of the premises, and to show that another licensed house was required in the locality, but the Court said it would be no use unless anything further could be adduced than had already been brought before the Bench at former sittings. The Court refused the application. PRINCESS THEATRE HOTEL, TORT-STREET. Mr. J. F. Margetts (for whom Mr. Barton appeared) applied for a license for the Princess Theatre Hotel in Tory-street, and pointed out the excellence of the accommodation afforded on the premises, and the increasing population of the locality in which it was situated. He also urged upon the Bench to set aside the reasons brought forward by the deputation which had waited upon the Court praying that no new licenses should be granted. The gentlemen who composed the deputation were trying to get that Court to do what Mr. Fox had failed to get the Legislature to do, by endeavoring to get their Worship to lay down the principle that no new licenses should be granted, whereas they sat there as Commissioners for the very purpose of considering whether or not licenses should be granted. He thought it was unfair for the Bishop and the other gentlemen who were with him to come there and use their influence to prevent a man getting his beer. He believed the members of the deputation were actuated by the best motives, but he urged the Court not to let that overweigh their judgment in the matter. The Chairman said the deputation had certainly asked the Court to lay down an abstract principle, which he (Mr. Crawford) for one objected to. Speaking for himself he thought that in a city like Wellington, whose trade and commerce was greatly increasing, and where numerous travellers from all parts of the world came, hotels of a superior description should be encouraged. In this instance a large and commodious house had been erected, and if it were licensed it might have the effect of shutting up others in the same neighborhood ; but the locality was not one that would be much frequented by travellers, and the fact of the hotel being next door to the theatre, which had been urged as an argument in favor of granting the license, was in his opinion rather an argument against granting it. The application was refused. TRAMWAY HOTEL, ADEL AIDE-ROAD. Mr. C- Moody applied for a license for the Tramway Hotel, Adelaide-road. Mr. FitzGerald, for the applicant, pointed out the great convenience which this house would afford to the public, and the excellent accommodation provided, which included a ladies' waiting room. It was close to the terminus of the tramway, in a rapidly rising neighborhood, and there was no other licensed house within 500 yards. A numerously signed petition had been sent in in favor of granting the license, and amongst those who had signed it was the landlord of the Newtown Hotel. The application was refused. ALBERT HOTEL, WILLI 3 STREET. Mrs. Mary Bower made an application for a license for this house. Mr. Oilivier, for the applicant, said this house was the large and commodious structure recently erected by Mr. Blimmer at the comer of Willis and Manners streets, and was built for a first-class family hotel, and was one of the finest hotels in the colony. The arrangements were most perfect, and no expense had been spared in fitting it up. There were numerous modes of exit from the building in case of fire ; and there was an entirely separate entrance to the hotel from Boulcott-street through the garden. A petition signed by sixty-five residents in the immediate locality was gent in, and the hotelkeepers in the neighborhood were in favor of it, as it would not at all affect their trade. It was designed for a special purpose. The suggestion to build this hotel came from a leading citizen of Wellington, and had been adopted by Mr. Blimmer. The plans of the house were produced, and Hr. Blimmer explained the accommodation afforded, and said the house had already cost over £7OOO. He had been told by visitors from other colonies that they had not seen anything superior to it in the way of an hotel during their travels. In reply to the Inspector of Police, Mr. Blimmer said Mr. Tustin and others had at first intimated that they should oppose the license, but afterwards withdrew their opposition, and signed the petition. Had Mr. Fox’s Bill passed, the signatures obtained in the immediate locality in favor of the license would have had the effect of its being granted. The Inspector asked Mr. Blimmer if he thought Mrs. Power, a lady of sixty years of age, was a suitable person to conduct the hotel ? Mr. Blimmer said yes, he did. Mrs, Powersaid she had kept an hotel for many years at Hokitika, and also the Commercial Hotel in Wellington. She produced satisfactory testimonials from the police authorities at Hokitika as to the manner in. which she had conducted the business there. The Inspector of Police said there was no objection to Mrs. Power whilst she kept the Commercial Hotel here, but he feared she was n»t suited for the new hotel. The application was granted.

Mr. Moore said it had not been granted unanimously. ALBION HOTEL, Mr. C. Marlin, of the Albion Hotel, applied for an extension of his license from 10 to 12 o’clock at night. . , , Mr. Barton, for the applicant, said tho hotel was situated immediately opposite the gasworks and Messrs. Greenfield and Ste wart s timber yard, where a large number of_ men wore employed, and it was near the Princess Theatre. The residents in the locality supported the application. , . , ~ The Inspector of Police objected to the extension of license, and the Court 'refused the application. KAUORI HOTEL, TINAKOBI ROAD. _ Mr. oilivier applied for a confirmation of the transfer of the license for this hotel to Mr. Thomas Carter. ~ , r The Insuector said he should not go so far as to oppose the application being granted, but would ask the Bench to caution Hr. Carter, as some complaints had been made as to the manner in which the house was conducted Tim Bench granted the application with _ a caution to Mr. Carter to be more careful m future. ROYAL MAIL HOTEL, PAHAHTANOI. Mr. W. K. Prosser applied for a license for this hotel. Mr. Gordon Allan appeared for the application, and Mr. Oilivier to oppose it. Mr. Allan stated that the only opposition to the granting of a license to this house came from the owner of another licensed house in the same neighborhood. He pointed out the evils of monopoly, aud the benefit of competition in this as well as in other trades. Hie house was in every way a fit and proper one to be licensed, and would be a great accommodation to the travelling public. Mr. Prosser, the applicant, and Messrs. E. Bolton, F. Brady, -I. Blackie, B. Mulbern, and other settlers in the locality, gave evidence in support of the application. Constable Kyan stated that the house was commodious arid well furnished. Mr. Oilivier urged that no reason had been shown why the Bench should alter their previous decision, which was a refusal of the application. No new facts had been established why the license should be granted. The Bench refused the application. TRANSFERS. The following transfers were granted Mr. McMillan to Mr. Cemino, Prince of Wales Hotel, Grey-street. Mr. Cemino to Mr. Fisher, Imperial Hotel, Cuba-street. Mr. G. Biddle to Mr. Elvers, Ngahaurauga Hotel. Mr. Henry Lansdon to Mr. J. Bertie, Prince of Wales Hotel, Tory-street. An application for a transfer of license from William Urwin to Thomas Bailey, Theatre Boyal Hotel, was adjourned for a fortnight. The Inspector said he was not satisfied with the manner in which Mr. Bailey conducted the house, which was the resort of bad characters, and he had himself seen Sunday trading carried on. Some short time ago a Mi-. Overton was knocked down and robbed of his watch, and the police for some time could not trace the stolen property, but ultimately it was traced to the possession of a barman in the employ of Mr. Bailey, and there was some difficulty in getting the man to give up the watch. Mr. Bailey said he was not aware until lately of this watch transaction, and the barman had given good value for the watch, viz., a silver watch aud £‘2 or £3 besides. As to the people being found drinking in the house on the Sunday, he was out at the time, aud when he came back immediately made inquiries into the matter. This concluded the business of the sitting.