THOSE STABLES AGAIN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 57, 8 March 1913, Page 5

THOSE STABLES AGAIN.

THE LICENSING COMMITTEE TAKES A HAND.

For months past a wordy warfare j has been waged between the Borough j Council and the Health Department, I the casus belli being the ‘Club Hotel 1 stable®. With unswerving purpose the Department has declared that the stables must be destroyed, but the Council contends that repairs will adequately meet the case. The case for the Council is somewhat strengthened by the fact that in the past the Department has shown itself unreasonable in its demands. Proprietors ol stables in Stratford have not forgotten the day when the edict went forth that their stables were to have concrete floors. The expense would have been enormous—and think of the effect of concrete on the horses’ hoofs! However, the matter has been taken beyond the jurisdiction of the Council, for the Department has appealed to the Licensing Committee, who yesterday afternoon discussed the question at some length.

In his report Sergeant McNeely stated that since the matter had last lieen discussed by the Licensing Committee no attempt had been made to carry out the recommendations of the Health Department. Mr Kenrick stated the Health Department had reported that the stables were totally unfit for use, being insanitary, ruinous and dilapidated and should be pulled down immedi ately. The police had reported ii similar terms. They had not yet take) formal evidence with regard to tin condition of the stables, but Mr Ken rick warned the solicitor for the been see (Mr J. R. L. Stanford) that ii nothing was done before the annua meeting of the Committee, and evi donee had to be taken, with the re suit that. if the Department’s cast was proved, it would be a matter o 1 refusing to grant the license. Ht knew well that in this case the solid tor would ask for an adjournment foi a month to allow of the stables- being pulled down, but they had been dealing with this case long enough, am the Committee would refuse any ad journment and would take immediate action.

Mr Stanford asked why the Healtl Department should go to the Licens ing Committee in this matter, and sug gested that the Health Departmen was not so sure of its case as to take it before a court of law. The questioi of whether the stables were or wen not sanitary should be threshed oir between the Public Health Depart ment and the licensee, and shouk not be left to the Committee. Mi Stanford added: “The Wellingtoi Licensing Committee came to the con elusion that this matter was beyonc their powers.” Mr Kenrick; No, that was a differ ont matter, and regaixled cleansinf the rooms of the hotels.

Sergeant McNeely: Apart from tin insanitary condition the building i; ruinous and dilapidated. The Com nittee lias power to refuse the license on those grounds alone. Mr Stanford asked why the adjourn .nent should not be granted, shouk the evidence go against them P I •night happen that a man would pul down a building that was after al field to be sanitary.

Mr Kenrick: The Committee have made up their minds— Mr Stanford; But the Committet rave .surely not made up their minds that the building is insanitary? Mr Kenrick : No; they recognise tba J tin© thing should be dealt with finally Mr T. C. Fookes explained on behaf of the owner of the freehold (Mrs Kirkwood) that they themselves wen suite willing that the licensee shouk pull down the stables; they themselves vonld pull the building down, but tin licensee wanted compensation—tha .vas the crux of the position.

Mr Stanford pointed out that the oresent licensee’s lease expired ver\ shortly, and it was decidedly unfaii o make him pull down the stables ind lose that source of revenue. Mr Kenrick said that that was r natter which did not concern the Com nittee. If nothing was done in the neanwhile, the annual meeting wouk lecido the question as to whether tin dahles were to remain in their present mndition or not.