LICENSE TRANSFER

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1940, Page 8

LICENSE TRANSFER

By Telegraph—Press Association.

"OUT OF BOUNDS" HOTEL QUESTION OF CONDUCT

Auckland, Last Night. Evidence regarding the conduct of the Victoria Hotel, recently placed out of bounds by the military authorities for soldiers in uniform, was given at an adjourned quarterly meeting of the Auckland Licensing Committee when application by the temporary licensee, Norman Samuel Fraser (Mr. Elliott), . for confirmation of the transfer of license to him was considered. Sergeant Dennehy said he visited the hotel regularly for a year and often found large numbers of soldiers and sailors on the premises. He sometimes had a little bother when checking arrangements for booking lodgers. On August 11 he found the licensee under the influence of liquor and not capable of looking after the hotel. Supplying Shakedowns. Sergeant Taylor said there were 25 rooms in the hotel and on June 21 he found. there were bookings for 42 beds and 54 shakedowns and on July 12 for 27 beds and 43 shakedowns. There were many soldiers in the lounge and the licensee said he did not like to see soldiers walking the streets and was doing what he could to ac-commodate them. , "I know he has sometimes telephoned the police station and even called at the watchhouse for permission to take in more men," Sergeant Taylor said in cross-examination. "If he supplied them with shakedowns the committee would not take exception," said the chairman, Mr.' W. R. McKean, S.M. "The method oi booking people in, we suggest, is only a blind," said SubInspector Pender representing the police.

Charges for Forces. Sergeant Adams said that sailors were charged ls 6d and soldiers and airmen 2s 6d for a night's lodgLng. On August 16 he found there were bookings for 78 beds and shakedowns but there were not more than 50 beds. At 8.30 p.m. on August 29 he found 30 soldiers on the premises. One territorial was a local resident and made the statement that he went to the hotel to obtain liquor and had no intention of staying there. He paid nothing but was allotted a room by the hotel. As a result the licensee was convicted for selling liquor after hours and fined £7 10s. The barman was fined £4 for supplying the liquor and the soldier £1 for being unlawfully on the premises. Certified Sober. The licensee testified that he was certified by a doctor as completely sober 40 minutes after being- seemby. the oplice on August 11. He. never had any complaints from the- police about the conduct of the hotel yet they visited the plaqe on an average once every night and. paid as many as- five visits in one night, even c'alling at 5 a.m. to check the number of lodgers booked in on the'previous night. Mr. McKean: Why have the military authorities ruled the hotel out of bounds: I don't know of any reason. I have had no complaints . from the military authorities. Mr. McKean: They must know something of what goes on in your hotel. Asked : to Look After Men.

The licensee: The navy has asked me to look after its men and keep them there. Counsel said he wrote to the northern military district asking for reasons in placing the hotel out of bounds and he received the following reply: "It is regretted that it is not considered that this headquarters should give reasons to a civilian for the issue of instructions in the interests' of military discipline." "We cannot answer the charge when no reasons are given for it and I ask the committee to disregard it entirely, ' counsel said. "It is conceivable that the army action was followed at the instigation of the police ,and if that is the case it is not a separate charge at all. There may be some military or other reason which has nothing whatever to do with the Licensing Act." No Evidence of System. Counsel added that there was no evidence of any system as the police alleged. The police almost lived there and if there was any thing wrong they would have found it. There was only one isolated conviction which was not sufficient to charge the licensee with operating a system.' "The police are against the provision of shakedowns so I propose to ask the committee to give a ruling in the matter," continued Mr. Elliot. "The police look upon it with suspicion and say it is a downright bad practice." Mr. McKean: You don't suggest the soldiers are charged 2s 6d merely for the privilege of occupying a bed. "Hotelkeepers are now in a predicament," said Mr. Elliot, "they do not know whether to accept the men of the services or refuse them lodging. Licensees find it very awkward and the committee should rule whether they should refuse to take soldiers in." Police Objection Stated.

Mr. McKean: The committee is not going to tell licensees what to do but it has no objection to accommodation being given to any soldier. Mr. Pender: The police have no objection as long a,s the booking is genuine. The committee adjourned to consider its decision after which the chairman announeed that a majority was of the opinion that the licensee's application for confirmation of his transfer should be granted.