CHRISTCHURCH LICENSING CASE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8921, 14 September 1907, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH LICENSING CASE.

Press Association. OliiusTnntTKoir; September 13; The adjourned hearing of the objections! by the police to the renewal of the license of the Criterion Hotel was held before the Christchurch Licensing Committee this afternoon. The information was laid under section 70, sub-section 30 of the Licensing Act of 18S1 which reads :—“ It shall be lawful for the Licensing Committee at amy quarterly licensing Meeting to determine and put an end to any license then current if it shall be proved to their satisfaction that the licensed house is conducted in an improper manner, or that the holder of such license is openly and repeatedly intoxicated, or that any conditions upon which the license was granted have not been fulfilled hr a satisfactory manner.” The alleged misconduct of the house occurred during six or seven months roughly coinciding with the period of the Exhibition. The main allegation was that the house had six or seven barmaids who were used to incite people to drink to excess and who were “ shouted ’’ for by customers and were frequently intoxicated. customers were pressed to “ shout champagne for the girls and the girls received men in their bedrooms. A large quantity of very contradictory evidence was given and the case was adjourned till IV cduesday afternoon next in order that the licensee who could not attend through illness might bo present.