LICENSING COMMITTEES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 135, 9 June 1903, Page 2

LICENSING COMMITTEES.

THE QUKSTtCH Olf CONDITIONS dS LICENSES. PER PRESS ASIOOrATIOH. Dune din, June 8. Al the Licensing meeting, Mr Carew, S.M f revi a sepuata statement cootending that in the nutter of aboli'ion of barmaids, and tupplying counter lunihes it was for the legislature, not the O-immit'.ee, to interfere. The Committee had no power to impose conditions. As to second bars, if tu h really existed, the police would take' | Rction, The Committee decided all houses must have ligh'c. j Toe City Licensing Committee have refused the licences of the Glob?, Sussex, and Fier Hotels, SIX HOTELS OLO3KD. Napieb, June 8. The licencing committee to-day granted 10 o'clock license 3, and renewed the licenses of all the hotels except the Marine Parade, Occidental, Exchange, Shakespeare, London, acd Shamrock, 1 tha lis", mentioned being at Awatoto. j | The committee stated that there was a' susp'cion that Sunday trading andi gambling had been cirried on in some hotels, notwithstanding the law, and if it were found that these practices were carried en they would take steps to deal with it, DOINGS IH WtSTIAND, Hokitika, June 8. The Westhnd licensing committee 1 granted all applications for renewals. One publioan's and two accommodation licenses dropped out, The committee granted a new publican's license in a scattered farming district, within three-quarters of a mile of an existing accommodation licens o , and in spite of cbjec ior, from tLe police and the resi- 1 den's of the district that no second license was required, and a protest from the Education Board, on the ground of its very close proximity to the schoo'. At a later stage of the proceedings the committee reduced the fee of the existing accommodation licence in the same district fiom £ls to £5. The committee also refused two newaccommad a'ion applications. NEWTOWN APPEAL OASE 3 , PROBABLY GO DiBEOr TO HIGHER COURT. Wellisoton, June 8. In connection with the claim) to compel the Newtown Licensing Committee to grant licenses to the hotels at Newtown, is is understood that counsel for the different parties have agreed to consolidate the actions, but nothing further has bean decided npoD. It is' not improbable that In view of the n;arness of the n?x*i sitting of the Court of Appeal, an epplic itiou will be made to refer the matter direct to the higher Court. _ WELLINGTON COMMITTEE'S VIEWS. Wellington, June 8, At the meeting of the Wellington Licensing Bench to day, the following statement was read on behalf of the elected members of tho Bjnch: -"At this first meeting of the new Licensing Committee, it appears fitting that we should bi icily outline the policy we have been elected to pursue. The electors, whom we here represent decided, in November list, that existing licenses should continue for another three yeirc, and thi3 mandate we feel bound to respect, 60 far as it is consistent with the accomplishment of those urgent and necessary reforms which we have baen ebcted to iff ct. We do not overlook the fact that a startling and damaging police report liy latent in otacuri'.y during the last general elec- j tioß, whiib, if it had seen would! have resulted in au unmistakable reduction vote. On this' assumption we do not iutend to ac v , but'will §xwcise the power we have of refusing licenses oaly ia so far as it is absolutely necssairy to effect reforms in the matter of conduct and accommoiation. We have made personal visits of inspection to many of tie hotel*, and have sitisfisd ourselves that their conduo* is of more consequence to the community than tneir struc'.ure andsiz>. We are anxious not to impose on owners any obligations with regard to extension or rebuilding, which »ome future local option poll may render a hardship or loss, and wM consequently be satisfied with a reason ib'e amount of accommodation, consistent with da < regard to the law on this subject and to sanitary and fire escape observances. Dives and multiple bars connected with street? are, we believe, an evasion of the law and frauds upoa the revenue, and we will use our utmost endeavours to abolish them. An analysis of samples of liquors secured from several hote's during the last two mouths shows the need of systematic examination, in order to guard agtinst adulteration, and an attempt will be made to cope with this evil. To 10 o'clock liccesas we are pledge!, and will therefore refuse all applications for extensions to any later hour. Already we have been pleased to note some improvement in the conduct of the liquor traffic in this community, and take this as evidence that the promises of some of the representative men in the' i "trade," that they will endeavour to promote reform for their own sakes, are sincere." | Memorials ware lodged against the following hotels: Foresters* Arms, Masonic, Imperial, Clyde Quay, Western, Prince of Wales, New Z-ialacder, And the Ctledonian, in each in instance on the grounds of unfitness of pr« mises, ( and in some ewes because they "are " tied " houses.

In hia report to the Committee, the Inspector of Police said " with regard to accommodation for traveller?, I might point ou" that eight botels have an aggregate of 430 bedrooms for the use of tha public, whilst tin o.hor forty have only 374 bedroom?, sonn of which ate of very indifferent qmli y. Inera is clearly a shortage of acjommoiation in thecicy hotels, which is Very marked in hoi day time. A* papulation is increasiDg rapidly, a corresponding increasa of accommodation for travellers is necessary so that it would bd only reasonable to insist that every new building sh.uld have at least, thirty bedroom?, in addition to those required for licensee's family and servants. . A* there is no probability of any increase of licensed hcu-esin the near future thosa who hava existing licenses should, when rebuilding be compelled to provide reasonable accommodation in proportion to the growing rieeis of the city. In respect to fire escapes I would suggest every naw building should Jiava access from each room on thj uppor fl jors to a substantial ba'cwiy. I do no!; think any system of fire escapa short of this would ba adi quite for buildings where tn 'St of the iuoKitos migut ! >« Mi-i-Hiijf.-s I AT. B. The Liconsiug Ujiumiitw K.ijiiurnod j until Tueiday of next week the ques-

tion of granting l'cscsea to the follow* icg hotels, egaiatt which ohjeotioDf were lodged by the polios or memo* rialiats: —New Zealmder, Royal Tiger, Impeiial, Masonic, Clyde Qiay, Prince of Wales, Western, O&tidonian, Me'ropolitar, Foresters Aiur, atd Panama. An applioitioQ for a license for til* Nags Head wis adjourned for three months in order tJ sea how the place is conducted and in wbatconjlilhn it IS ia by that time. The Committee also ndjouratd the cot aider at ion of applioi* 'ions for licecs's for the following i hotels, pending icveiiigatioa into the position and number of ban:—Hotel ! 0-oil, Olub, Royal Oik, Empire, Albsrt, I Central, Oriental, and Pier. The Committee decide! that all hotel* should : close at 10 o'clock instead of 1! o'clock ; as here f ofore.

CoßisroHcicH, June 8. Mr Bishop, S.M., sit as the Licensing Committee to-day to coniidtr adjourned applications for licenses in the Kai*p;i dittiict where reiuo'ion tad ben carried. Licenses were refused to tbe Junction Hotel at Opoki, i ac d tbe Kaiapoi Hotel at Kaiapoi, Three applications were deferred till | June 20 h when licenses will be issued if satisfactory arrangements for improvements have been made. The otbtr applicatiors were granted,

Dunkdik, June 8. As the remit of to-day's ti.ting of the Licencing Committee 13 applioa* tiong held over to allow of improvements being efftcftd were farther adjourned, but the licenses were premised if the alterations are made. Thirteen licenses were granted to improved Are escapes, etc., thre> being refused, and nine further adjjuroea without any intimation as* to their ultimate fate. Out of these n'ne the three which are to be cloeed will be selected.