THE LICENSING COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5217, 11 December 1877, Page 3

THE LICENSING COURT.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sin, —Your leader of this morning, referring to the lata decisions of the Licensing Bench, should meet with general approval. The whole gist of the matter, however, lies in the unwarrantable restrictions now placed upon those who are desirous of erecting new hotel property —restrictions totally inadmissable in any other commercial code. To decide that a man should be forced to spend a large sum of money in the building of an hotel, and then to be at the mercy of a Incensing Bench to obtain a license is, to say the least of it, reductio ad absurdum, and we can but wonder that the population do not raise their voice en masse against the continuance of this arbitrary law, placed only too frequently in the hands of prejudiced and weak-minded adjudicators. The plans and specifications being submitted, and a bond entered into that they would be carried out in their entirety, would equally answer the purpose on application for a license; and if it was then refused the loss sustained would be kept within reasonable and proper limits. —I am, &c., C. J. P. Dec. 7.

TO THE EDITOR Off THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, — I observe in the Times of - to-day that a deputation is to wait on the Minister of Justice in reference to the present working of the licensing law, which is almost universally admitted to be in a most unsatisfactory condition. I observe also that a public meeting is to be called shortly on the same subject. It is to be hoped that the result of the deputation and meeting will be some practical improvement on the present arbitrary and unfair system of granting licenses. As matters stand at present, great opportunities are given to favoritism. The granting of a license to Mr. Plimmer’s new house, whilst refusing one to Mr. Moody’s, Mr. Margett’s, and Mr. Duff’s, is a case in point, and I believe if a poll of the whole town were taken a large majority would hold the opinion that a piece of very great injustice was perpetrated on that occasion. I suppose the dictum of the magistrates is not like the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not, and at the next adjourned meeting they can, if they like, re-consider their decision. The time which has elapsed since last meeting must have left their Worships time for reflection, and their minds must be, I take it, oddly constructed if they do not rea'ise the fact that they have made a great mistake, and have aroused a very general feeling in the community that an alteration in the constitution of the Licensing Bench ii much needed. To give encouragement to people to erect really first-class hotels whilst discouraging mere drinking shops is certainly sound policy, but the very reverse seems to be the policy of our Licensing Bench. The cases of Mr. Margetts and Mr. Moody appear to be especially glaring cases. Mr. Margetts’, house is really a first-class family hotel, and it is no disparagement to other hotels in the neighborhood to say that in size, appearance, amf accommodation it is far superior to any of them. Then as regards Mr. Moody’s house. When the tramway is open, which will be very shortly, the want of a good hotel close to the terminus will be much felt, and Mr. Moody’s house exactly fulfils the requirements of the case, and what is said of the accommodation of these houses will also apply to Mr. Duffs. The present Minister of Justice is a man of good sound sense who, unless I am greatly mistaken, will be willing to do what he can to meet the views of the deputation, because their view of the question—the injustice of granting a license to Mr. Plimmer’s house and refusing it Mr. Margetts’, Mr. Moody's, and others—is manifest ; indeed, the more one thinks upon the matter the more astonished one feels at the decision of the Court. It is Hot, however, too late to remedy the injustice, and in the interests of fair play it is to be hoped that the remedy will he afforded with as little delay as possible.—l am, &c., Citizen. December 10.