OTAKI LICENSING BENCH.

Otaki Mail, 8 June 1923, Page 3

OTAKI LICENSING BENCH.

A meeting of the Licensing Bench was held yesterday. Present: Messrs. J. L. Stout, S.M. (Chairman), H. Freeman, T. H. Windley, W. H. Bowden, Ben Ling, and J. P. Brandon. Applications in respect to all hotels were granted, the police reports being favourable.

Application was made for permanent j transfer and new license for the Family Hotel. Mr. Beere, on behalf of the owner (Mr. Kennedy), objected lo the transfer and the new license being granted on the ground that the owner was negotiating a sale to a third person, and that if a transfer was granted no further dealing with the licensee could take place until after the expiration of three months. If this delay occurred, the sale would lie prejudiced. He would ask that the applications and the meeting be adjourned until 14 days. This would enable him to arrange the sale and lo apply for a transfer of the license to the purchaser.

Mr. Atmore, on behalf of Mr. Cann, stated that his client was entitled to have his transfer confirmed and a new license granted, lie objected to an adjournment. The committee could not deal with new business, i.e.. an application for a transfer to the purchaser, tit an adjourned meeting. An adjournment would be of no use to the owner. If a sale took place within 3 months and his client was willing to transfer the license, no doubt section 125 of The Licensing Act, dealing with cases where the licensee deserts premises, could be made use of. His client could become a technical deserter, and the Committee could give permission te. the purchaser to carry on. After consideration, the Committee upheld Mr, Atmore. and decided to gram to Mr. Cann both the transfer and new license.