QUARTERLY LICENSING MEETING, TE AROHA.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 145, 13 March 1886, Page 2

QUARTERLY LICENSING MEETING, TE AROHA.

The first quarterly meeting of the newly elected Licensing Comnrssioners for the JTe Aroha district, was held in the Court-house, Te Aroha, on last Satur- ! day evening at 7 o'clock (adjourned from noon same day.) Present : Messrs J. A. Dobson (chairman), G. Lipsey, E. j Quinn, T. Gavin, and Jas, Mills. Temporary transfer from Gallagher to ' Haywood, British Hotel, Te Aroha, was confirmed, and permission given to have | the name altered to Te Aroha Club j Hotel. ■ A conditional license was applied for by Jas. Warren, proprietor Palace Hotel, for the Te Aroha races, and following day Application granted for race day only. | Application wag made by the proprietors of the Palace, Hot Springs, am J - Club Hotels, Te Aroha, to have the hour of closing extended from 10 o'clock ; p.m. (as at present) to midnight. (Tlic application of Mr Haywood was to keep open till 11, but this wss amende i to 12 by permission). Thu applications occasioned a lony discussion. Some oi the Commissioners

said this change was necessary with reUard to the l-nmbor of visitors nowcuuing 10 To Aroha. Mr Mills mm oil, and Mr Quinn seconded, Tliat the applications be grunted. Kurgfc. Emerson said of his own knowledge no visitors had suffered in anyway through 10 o'clock closing, and if 11117 gave permission to keep Dpen till a later hour, it would lead to increased drunkenness, in no way benefit the place, and necessitate additional police. The Chairman remarked that with respect to visitors arriving, the publicans were at perfect liberty to supply their lodgers at any time, and he would not be in favour of altering the hour of closing. Mr Mills said anybody could at present .get drink up to midnight at the hotels, the only difference was that the doors were closed, and for decency's sake he would prefer it was served with open doors. Sergfc. Emerson said applications had been made before to previous licensing benches, and had been invariably refused by the Commissioners. Mr Gavin moved as an amendment the extension bo only till 11 o'clock, which was seconded by Mr Lipsey. Mr Mills remarked it would be an advantage to grant tie extension as applied for t: by gaining a little more money for the county." The Sergt. remarked that at nil events some notice of the proposed change should have been given, even if the extension were granted, he would, however, in the interests of the place, certainly object to any extension of hours. Ro<ne of ihe applications had only been handed in since the Commissioners were sitting ; the matter was far too important a one to be dealt with in so hurried a manner, there should be time to think over it ; from his own experience he knew that 11 or 12 o'clock licenses were not for the benefit of any place, and he objected to any extension as strongly as he could. Mr Mills said : The people had a remedy in their own hands — if they did not want to drink they need not go into the public house, they could stay away, and he considered the Sergt was exceeding his duty, having expressed his opinion once, in attempting to dictate to the Commissioners. Sergeant Emerson replied that he had never attempted to dictate to the Commissioners.^ It was always usual for such ;m application as the present to be refeired to the Police to report on ; he had not hcen asked to gire any expression of o| inion in the present case, but was nevorth 'loss at perfect liberty without exceed ng his duty in any way, t > express Hie opinion that the Oornmi--sionors, in the interests of the plac ought not to uAtend the hours of closiiu;. Seeing that some of the applications ha 1 been put in after the Commi?sioneM Mere sitting, to grant them in such .1 fitmmary Manner \vouhl be a most unusual proceeding. Mr Lipsey spoke in favour of the extension of nours being ,, r i anted. On bring- put to the meeting, Mr Gavin's amendment, seconded by Mr Lipse Tuat the hoar of closing be extended to 11 vas carried, the Chairman also voting iv xavour cf it, as the lessei of two evils. Sergeant Emerson requested that his objection to the exteusion should be entered iv tho minutes. Several of the Commissioners, however, said there was no occasion for that, and the request was refused.