The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1884. THE POLICE AND THE LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1712, 17 June 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1884. THE POLICE AND THE LICENSING COMMITTEE.

We report in another column si scene which took place yesterday between the Masterton Police and the Masterton Borough Licensing Committee Sergt. McAbdle objected to the confirmation of the minutes of a certain meeting, on the ground that the business had been determined in secrot conclave, contrary, to the 42nd section of the Act which provides for all objections being beard and determined in open Court,' We are not quite,sure that the Sergeant had any right to intervene on such a point as the confirming of tlio minutes of a committee meeting, and we believe he mistook his hem standi in raising the objection which he brought, forward. He had, however, a right to complain-that the objections made by the police : had not been, properly investigated and determined at the previous meeting. The Chairman of the Committee indeed contended that as the meeting held yesterday was a continuation of the former meeting, which was adjourned, the police had still open to them an opportunity of bringing any question forward which was material. But unfortunately at a later stage of the proceedings the Chairman knocked his own argument on tho head, because when the police, acting on his suggestion, did bring forward an objection, he replied, "Wo cannot consider this question becauso we have already decided it." The Licensing Committoe most assuredly committed a blunder by determining objections in secret conclave, but we do not blame them for this. How can au elective Licensing Committee be expected to understand the right manner of conducting judicial inquiries. The Masterton Licensing Committee are, of course, learning how to do so, and by the time they are expert, some other residents will probably take their places who will have to pick up the experience which their predecessors are now gaining, Under the old Act Licensing Commissioners wore appointed by the Crown, and were picked men. Yet they were not left to their own guidance as members of Licensing Committees now are. . The Resident Magistrate was ex-officio Chairman of the Bench, and under his supervision, a mistake, such.,as that which the Masterton Borough Licensing Committee made, was simply impossible, The Licensing Committee are evidently anxious to do their duty conscientiously and spare no pains to discharge it, but it is inevitable that they should occasionally blunder while they are as it were engaged in learning their business. The point on which the police appearei at the recent meeting to lay great stress was that hotels should close at ten p.m. The main argument brought forward in favor of this was that some inebriate husbands were tempted to spend their last sixpence before returning to their homes, The number of these men must be very small as contrasted with the number of persons who habitually use the accommodation that is offered by hotels. It would be manifestly unfair to - make ' special arrangements as to the hours ot closing in order to meet the.cases.of some bve or six black sheep at the. expense of some five or six hundred white ones, We think the Licensing Committee adopted a right decision in not deeming the ground sufficient for altering the existing arrangements, Another argument brought forward by tho police appeared to us a. more forcible one, but apparently it was not so considered by the Committee. : This was a representation made that on a dark night in a town unsupplied with public lamps, tjie police cquh} 40J; efficiently protect

lifo and property, and that offenders against peace, favored by darkness, could not bo detected. , We;-would have been pleased to have soon tho. Licensing Committee take up this question. 'Tee police complained that for certain reasons they were unable to discharge their duty, and that, practically, the public were unprotected, If sucli a complaint bo well founded it certainly calls for! investigation, arid if, on the other hand, it'is .unwarranted by facts, it would be a. satisfaction to the public to be'assured that it was groundless, ~ r