ADJOURNED LICENSING COURT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1830, 3 June 1874, Page 3

ADJOURNED LICENSING COURT.

Thu adjourned Licensing Court sat in the Court-house, Shortland, yesterday. Present-Captain Eraser, R.M, and E. Workman, Esq., one of the Commissioners. John. Brown, Esq., and E. Konnan,.Esq., were absent.

Mr Mnedonald was present to support the objections made by the Good Templar* j Mr Tyler had beea retained on behalf of certain publicans. The Chairman said that on the last occasion they hud adjourned. the Court for six weeks to enable the then absent Commissioner to attend. It would not do to keep all those people waiting. He thought the bost thine; they could ■do would be to go on, and if there was any hitch they should try to get all the Commissioners together to agree to what had been done. Mr Tyler stated that Mr Kennan was absent through ill-health, and Mr Brown was attending his duties in tho Provincial Council. Te Mnananui, one of the Native Assessors appointed under the Outlying Districts Sale of Spirits Act, was not in attendance. His Worship said they would adjourp the Court to-day to some future day, to them to have the whole of the Commissioners together to confirm what they,had done. He Lai received a circular from the acting Provincial Treasurer, which callod attention to the power of Justices or Commissioners to recommend reduction of the license fee for houses situated in remote places. APPLICATIONS FOB BEDCCTIOK OF HCBVBB. Mr Tyler said that he appeared for two of the applicants, Messrs Butler and Roulston, one in the Waiotahi and the other nn thePunga Flat. They, had paid £40 per annum each for licenses, but, all hough the houses were necessary and the licenses granted, it was a question whether they could uffird to pay such! a large license fee. It was, he apprehended, the duties of their Worships to look after the iuterests of the public.

His Worship said that was no part of th. ir duty. The public had to 1 iok after tl' empires in tbLi respect, Thoy were rattier placed as a check upon tho grantUg of licenses. He could not see how a man going from Grahamslown to the Pungi, Flat could be called a traveller. I heso roads led to nowhere, and could not be considered the same as those in Ohine* muri and Puriri, which were on roaosJ

Mr yier said there was no doubt there was a necessity for those places. No objection ha 1 been niade, and the licenses were granted. He would aslc their Worships to recommend that the license fees should be reduced.

His Worship said that he would adjourn those cases' and all similar ones for a full bench. Ihe other Commissioners might entertain other views, and he would be guid d by them. If they said that they ought to be reduced h>t would recommend it. In fact his sympathies were with the publicans, for hu knew that those houses could scarcely pay, but he thought to reduo was rather against the reading of the Act.

A. AGSBW, CBOWH HOrKl, QOBBN-STBEET. This application had been adjourned, as (he applicant did not appear, and as there was ao appewaaca uqw» tUo

B. J. ANGOVB, VICTOBII HOTEL XABAKA CUBES. This application had been adjourned on account of there having been a conviction recorded against the applicant for Sunday trading.—Mr Tyler appearad for the applicant. The Chairman said the feeling of the Court was against refusing an application for a conviction, unless it was a very glaring case. The Commissioners had had some talk on this point after the last Court, and they did not feel inclined to refuse an application on accouut of one conviction under the old Act. He observed that in another province, the Chairman of a Licensing Court had given notice to the publicans that if they were convicted of one offence they would never get another license, He thought that was carrying the thing a little too far, as a trifling offence, such as letting hit lamp out, would bring a conviotion against a publican, Mr Tyler: That was t gontleman, I think, who has been recently exalted to the Bench. jjjThe Chairman: Reduced to the Bench would perhaps bo tho fit word. The application was granted. TV. COLB, SABACBn's HBAD, POLLBNSTBEBT. This h»d been adjourned because of insufficient accommodation, and the necessary alterations having been made, the application was granted. J. 8. FITCH, CORNWALL ABMB, POLLENSTUBEf. This had been adjourned, ai the applicant had gone away, but the license was now granted to Mrs Fitch. , E. PHASES.,. UNION HOTBL. _ This had been adjourned for an alteration in the house. Mr Bullen stated that the premises were unfit for the business, owing to the want of room at the back. The applicant | had done the best he could under the circumstances. Application granted. SOPHIA HIBBLE, ALBION HOTEL, POLLEN--BTBEET, The application had been adjourned, as there were two conviotions recorded against the applicant for taking pledges,. Mr Tyler appeared for the applicant. Mr Bullen stated that applicant had taken goods in security for liquors supplied to_ disorderly characters up the Waiotahi Creek. The Chairman said the Court was inclined to refuse the license, as. this was not like the offence of soiling a glass of liquor after ten o'clock. If Mr Tyler would liavo the matter decided atonee, it would be against him, but he would adjourn it if he diose for a full Bench, so that he try if he could influence the other Commissioners. Adjourned. SABAH H'DHBUOTT, BALLIBAT HOTUL, POLLEN-STBEET. The applicaut in this case had died between the sending in of the application and tho holding of tho Court. The Chairman said that Mr Beveridge had told him yesterday that he was about to bring in a | bill in connection with the issue of licenses, and perliaps this bill might meet such cases as the present. Mr Tyler sail that if such a bill were to be brought in, it should provide for a case in which the application was refused on account of the character of the person applying, and enabling it to be granted to a person of repute and good character. A house, of course, was seriously depreciated by not getting a license. There was the case of Mr Rose, who had been refused at the former sitting of the .Court.

• The Chairman said that the Act, if passed at all, would be passed before the 15th. Those interested should put themselves in communication with Mr Bevoridge. Adjourned. JOHN QAFFEBfY, HELBOUBSE H »TBl. ' Adjourned from former sitting on accountofaconviction for Sunday trading. Granted. P. M. QUINtf, MUNSTBtt HOT St. This had been adj turned in order to allow of repairs to premises. Mr Dead appeared in support of the application, and stated that Mr Heron, the landlord, had guaranteed to put everything in repair. Adjourned. 0. A. BAYSOK, lUPBBIU HITBL. Adjourned on account of the insufficient accommodation. The necessary alterations having beea mide, the application was granted. B, BICHAEDS, GROBGB HOTEL. Applicant was absent on last occasion; Granted. W. SHAW, GLOBE HOTEL, BOLIiEStONSTREET. The applicant had died since the application was made, but the Court decided that they hat to grant the Wame to Mrs Shaw, which was accordingly done. ANUIE ZIRGLBB, KABAKI HOTEL. This had been adjourned for repairs to' premises, and these having been made, the application was granted. L, EHEENFBIED, JIACKAY-STBBET. This was an application for a wholesale license, but the application ha 1 not been signed by the applicant, but by Mr Macnab for him. The Chairman said he had looked at the olauso carefully since last meeting, and he had very tittle diubt tint Mr Tyler's contention then was right. The application could not be made in the form, as the form bad been altered.

Application granted. BE-HEABING OF BOSE's CASE.

Mr Tyler applied to have a re-hearing in the case ofEose, who had been refused a license at the last sitting of the tWt. Mr Hose had sent in a memorial to the Court.

The Chairman said that he had better make the application on the 15th, to which they would adjourn. • Thoy had better put themselves in communication with Mr Beveridge. He (the Chairman) could not say much for that particular case. PBTBB AUSTIN, IJIPEBIAL HOTEL, OHINBMCBI. In this case the Court had at the former sitting granted the license, but by the provisions of the Outlying Districts Sale of Spirits Act, it is necessary to hare the signatures of three native assessor.". The assessors appointed for the Hauruki district were W, H. Taipari, HaoraTipa, and I o Moananui. The two former have been ready to sign from the first, but the latter obstinately refused, and absented him'elf from yesterday's sitting without sending any explanation or apology. The license under which the Imperial Hotel was held last year was a bush license at £20, but bush lioenues cannot now be granted under the new Aot, and Mr Austin applied for a license at a lower feo.

The Chairman, said that when he was at Ohinemuri there seemed to be more business doing at Mr Austin's house than at many houses in Pjlleti str-et-.

Mr Austh said that perhaps it was hit Worship's presence tint brought the trade on auoh occasions.

Hit Worship laid that tlw Outlying

that the application must be signed by the three assessors.

Mr Macdonald, who appeared for Mr Austin, handed in a memorial praying that the license should bo granted to Mr Austin, signed by a large number of natives.

The Chairman said he was quite satisfied from his own knowledge, that the house was required. Mr Macdouald said he was not aware whether the assessor who objected was of that order which might make it impossible for him to have anything to do with the issuing of licenses, or whether hi objected beoause he wanted to keep a publio-house himself,

Tbe Chairman said he thought Te Moananui's refusal must arise from a pure motive. Tn a district which he (the Chairman) had lately united, a gentleman who was a Licensing Commissioner was a shining light amongst the Good Templars, and sat on the Bench and granted licenses.

At the request of the Chiiruian, Mr G. T. Wilkinson interpreted to the as* sessors the position of affairs.

The Chairman said that when ho was lately at Ohinemuri the Kiriweraa had a meeting, and there was a notice stuck up asking the hotil-keeper to shut up the whole day. This Mr Austin goodnaturedly did. Now if there 1 were no licensed place, but only sly grog shops, they could not have suc'i a thing done. It was far better they should have a public-home than sly grog shops selling bad liquor all over the place. Taipari and Haora intimated their acquiescence in the views of the Court, and it was aereod to send on the application to the Government with their signatures, and tho memorial signed by the natives, and a recommendation that the license fee charged should be £20. His Worship asked the assessors present to use their influence with Te Moananui. TATtf. There were two applications from Tapu -K. M. Hawks and H. W. Jacobs. Mr Dodd, for Mr Hawks, suggested that the license fees should be reduced to £10. The Chairman thought that would be quite enough to charge for Tapu. ; The licenses would be granted, with a recommendation that the fee charged should be £10. , HIKUUIA, PUBIBI, AND TAIBUA. The applications of Mr Kelly Bnd Mr C. Bowley for licenses for Hikutaia were (■ranted, and also that of Mr Say, at Puriri._ The application of Willia a Oliffe for a license for Tair.ua was granted, a recommendation to be made that a fee of £10 be charged; ADJOUBNKBNTS, Sevoral cases were further adjourned to consider applications for roduction of license fee. 1 ",