PROTEST AGAINST FURTHER HOTELS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 30 June 1880, Page 2

PROTEST AGAINST FURTHER HOTELS.

At the close of the sitting of the Licensing Bench yesterday- afternoon, tho Revs. A. B. Todd* jj. Crump* 0. E. Barley, and J. poster appeared to present two addresses. to, the Benoh protesting against thfl. granting of any further licenses; in Oamaru. The first address \yas read by the Rev. Mr. Todd as follows : To the Licensing Court, Oamaru. Juno, ISBO. Gentlemen, —As citizens and as ministers of the Gospel interested in the welfare of tho community, we appear before you to re-. spcotfuUy request of you not to gyaat. any moro new licenses to hotels in Oanvwu., We are pei-suaded that the multiplication of licensed houses with bars attached to them tends to increase intemperance, the prolifvo source of many diseases, and crimes; and it appears to us and to many more that the number of suoh places is already mow than sufficient to supply tho wants of the population and of travellers viaitWig the town. 1 \Ye remain, yours respectfully, Alexander B, Toudi, CIIARUiS U,. BARLEy, x John Crump.. Foster,.

The R,ev, Mr. Todd added that tho address was cordially concurred in by tho Rey. Mr. Gifford, who was prevented from being present by a recent family affliction.

The Rev. Mr. Barley then read tlte following address from the Good Templars

To the Licensing Bench, Oamam. Gentlemen, —We, tho Goodl Tbmplara of Oamaru, having discussed the question of new licenses in Oamaru, have resolved—That, as there are throe sew houses in course of erection for which licenses are granted, anil as theye ia; therefore sufficient hotel accommodation, in, our opinion it ia highly unnecessary and undesirable that any more should be granted ; and the granting of additional licenses would only add to pauperism and crime, of which wo have so much already* We therefore pray that you, in your wisdom* will see fit to grant no more new licenses in Oamaru for twelve months, and haye requested the Rev. C. E. Barley to inform the; Bench of our wishes.

Mr. Parker, Chairman of the Bench, said there was not much probability of more licenses being granted during the current year* and from what he had learned the Licensing Bill now before Parliament would reatriot the granting of new licenses to onoe a year. It had at one time been a matter of outcry that there were not sufficient hotels to meek the requirements of the public, and tfiafe the buildings did not provide Buitebla accommodation. Now, however, firoja an architectural point of view, there were, few towns the size of Oamaru that compared favorably with it in the natter of handsome hotels. He referred to the unlicensed houses as resorts which tended to augment drunkenness and crime, and said that the evil done by these houses, could not be laid to the charge of hotels, whioh even perhaps militated against the. ! evils of unlicensed houses. The evils, of: drunkenness might be lessened by wis« legislation and by a reformation of the depraved habits, of the people. Much good might b& done by ernest effort and energy in th,e direction of lessening ifca * drinking oustoms of the day, which word 'to be regretted. He expressed thethanka of the Court to the gentlemen who had brought the matter under tlxe notice of the Bench, and addod, that the Court, acquiesced in ths principles which tha deputation so.ught.to maintain. The Rev. Mr. Todd having thanked tho Ben,ch for the reception given to tha deputation, the proceedings terminated.