THE STAR HOTEL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4440, 10 June 1893, Page 2

THE STAR HOTEL.

The License Granted to Mrs j Low. On tho.Liot-using Bench ogiia r<>« Burning at 2 15 afuirnoon, 0. Hugliea, bmolicrwaa oullod bp Mr Powwall. Ho Bttttcd that lis iiud formerly resided &6 Hsiitihgs knaw the appliciine and har Jalo He had aeati theni connected with hotels for nine; ; yoaifs. wete of Gxco;>S;'ionaily'"good oharadtefcaad their liotolu in |a first olana manner. Ho bu to that Mrs Low would not allow tliai house to bo ooodua!ed in,the manner it was stated to havo "beeti^S J. .Hourisan, recalled, waa cross- 1 . exajninßd by Mr • aa to tlsa residences of the persons wbo had signed tho liouesholdera certificate. Mr Pownall objected to this line of q.uesiionitig, _ 'ljlio Chairman said thatVtiie Act did oot requir e that they should reside in tiio vicinity of tlie hutp], so long as they resided in tho district..

M r Beard said that the occupier sio long ob ho oocujiied the premises, would be a householder. They might as well get signatures of persona between Masterloa and Cantlep6int. Witness, continuing; said that their signatures had been obtained by himsalfy They were all householders, unu nojr iho liutol, although being a stranger ho could not say wliere all the persons lived.

Mr Beard said that in support; of the inemnriid, he would call evidence, and [he would rsiac cortuin objections to the license being granted,' but 4 tjie evidence would not be in respect' to Lhe iitnafiß or unfitness of Mrs Jjow to hold the liwmßfi. After the hotel got into the bands of lHr a/itl from him to Mr Eastwood, ths house has rank, ho 10 speak, by the reputation ut had obfuined. It was for the Committee to consider whether the;-house was disorderly, and if they thought this he felt sure they would refuse lh& license. ; Mt Pownall said that the onh offence wan gaming, and kg wished that Mr Beard would keep .to the petition. tor Beard said that each of the tenants had sold out in order to get rid jjf liabilities that occurred xia respect of this licensed house. The Chairman here told Mr Beard thai he was "saying a little in a long time.?'. _ Mr, Beard said that whatever: deoir aion jthe Bench had arrived .at,, or would arrive at, he would take bis own tjime to condnct the case for the objectors. Whether it took a long or a short time he should place;- the viewsjof his clients clearly before the Committee.

Th(| Chairman and several members of the Committee took exception to Mr Beard's remark that they might have already made up their minds, Mr [Beard : "lam speaking tpthe Chairman."

Mr [Hessey: " What if said to the Chairman of the Committee is understood to apply to the whole." Mr Beard, continuing, referred to the late casa against Eastwond. ' The house had had a bad name for years, and he did not think the Bench should perpetuate the nuisance.

Mr Pownall said that the petitioners were how 1 going all round the compass, and away from the objections stated on the petition, by a reference to the [previous >nunti and to the police, pone of which appeared in ihc petitiosj. The following evidence in support of the petition was then given : - (Jons|able Slay was called in respect of the signatures to the householders petition. . • Mr pjownall objected to the - other side giving evidence in respect of lhf» householders signatures. They wfiie merely Evidence of the fituegg or tho unfitness of lbs applicant. The Committee hold that Mr Beard should confino himself to tho petition at &nl Constable May was not oxamined. ■ '

*Wos. Aiexandflr said he lived , behind thaj Star Hotel. The quieigpf the neighbourhood was disturbed, during the tenancy of Searle and 'Eusfcwoqd. He hud seen flghifl caused by peojplo cjaiing from tho of the Hotel. Lt waa &lso a matter quent occurrence for drunken peoplV to corns out past bis bouse. ; i By MrJ Pownall: Out of4ho thirty signatures be bad obtained fas could not any of bis own knowledge that thoy wera all tamparence peoples The natoo of Mrs Low waa not filled In when he> got the signatures. Tii« name waa filled an when they lrbew ! who was to be the ftpplioant, It was ; filled in before the whole of the sigwore obtained. Gould 'not say ho* aiatiy had not signed after ths name w«ai filled in. He could awekr that all the persons who sieved io Jtia presence iftare twenty-one years: of sge, Edward Pragnall said that i a hid opini-jn inn quiatasoa of tba Ic-cai.i *H diatarbed, and detailed an reace ihat iool jikcs with Eegtwjeil UOi Ajri| U»l io <&•»,)

KMjwood threatened ,to ■ one., , JTLia wag at tbrea ©Vice's fa tLj 1 morning. Snafewood ©n ibis ocgst&toa_ sfiinshedin three'of tlta ;»i nuuva of & hoase. WUik'ss B ]jo qave of several otl^r-tows afcisigifc nea- 'bo liofol. . , lis*. E. Wood stated" in at 1»$ wts& ofergyman living in Maßtcrton. ■. His* ciiurch and reHidnneo ware near'ilm. Btar f Hotel. There had beerr for last two yai.ra, continues brawls In tfaa neighbourhood, fc„t ha cooia not - apeak of anv daring 1 fcho two or three ' weeks, IL.. had beard most " - offcneise language m pamaa. A " Inrge number of child# 1 fend to pass '" tile hotel on their way to school. 3£ r Wood stated fuuher- that he had signed the petition before airs Low'a aaiao was ou it. (There was tUea ae applicatipij foi', « license adwrthed. The petition was against the 6ta* . Hotel. By Mr Pownall :• Ooald-nnt say the Star wns nrjaror to hia church than the Club was in, the English Ofanrcb. In bis opinion tho Star Hotel was not required in tiie dissriot, I Would not pay th«t uifeSntjU i a "1 | 'own were not needed. rV

Mr Wood dtsired to aaka a further statement" bearing on the moral aajj«<st of the iiotlEe, but wus stopped by the Bench. : ,■ *'*: ,- •

M. MoDerraofct n-ooHeeted a fjghl tHkinp; placs at" tiia war of ttio Star Hotel. TJiu rrifin a*me from (lis hotel V<id tyent biick to it. - Witness reside in. a O'M&g* Ht the back; of t&u UoteFt • Two men camo ruiiaiog down iba i i»ht-or-<vny by iiia'ofjfctsig,-, witlj cmly itmie trouaeiß on, witii iha Seri>e&in! #f policfl aftaa them. - BemnasfrfttsJ Pfith Eastwood and told him it was a ijigrace. ' Eastwood thereupon toH iita to qnit tho aottagij, which Tritowa icoordingiy did. Sergeant McArdle said ha htd iio«») 'requßnti complaints, about :; lha Stcf Bfotolt and scvorttt JarooniM hud bora eported to him as luviug taktu it the house.. v - ~ Mr Powiiall bis ;«ori^oii : ::the BTOUoSnfflffftiM of " bo ouKDa ttlhidid to bud corns btifonj - - - ho GourS, mid tlioy might be ruara wbricatioiis. Sergcsnt MoArdle e&id lhat <b«

.-ru.oi, juauo io nmi oiJ». oially. In cnoh cam the perton* hud boon raado di unit, and then roLbWi. Fur the luat two years foe Hoed had btioa bwdly, conducted; Had pro« = » scouted Estwood a short time agoX,r allowing gambling at, the Star Hotel. The nOUFQ wast ut gambling don when witness oamo to Master ton, and had ooiitinued no up till five weeks ago, i'iis. Hotel &liotild . certainly be aj^ui up. J s ßy Mr Pownall: Was in Court oa tho Say Eastwood was fined, Wag nor, awa that a Bgh!i;_with Native took place atr another hotal while he yraa .engaged in Court;: The manor had cover buen reported io him. Jsr Beard said ho proposed to call - evidence to show that- the persona (signing ths application were not householders residing in the imuiedi~ - ste ?ioinity of tho ho!el. ■" Mr Pownall objected to Mr Beard" acting any further, aa tho msmorisi had now bo en disposed of. The Chairman, said the : i; names cms the petition were personally knowb to tho Com mitt bp; They <would raceive the petition. ' The Ho v. Robert Wood, as & ratfipayer, said he had to of names, und of—the Act. . I . Tho Chairman : " "Sou wili hare 4o ' get into the bos." Mr "Wood ~icm Bworn. He thto dtatorl that he objected to Mr T Wagg's name, as although bis pl&as o! businesa was opposite the hotel,- his * residence was a long way off. Agam tho person " J. H. Holmes " could not -be ftfund. ■ Beailey w&si not living ia the immediate of the hotel. Hobertson had siso removed ftom the neighborhood. J, Stvattor), Itunpnni, was also not & near neighbour. He wished-io osJl atlentiou to the fact that the appli- ~ cants were in the greataatdiatresa to get the signatures, which was a proof the house was not wanted. fJv Mr Pownall ; TltH fftnnif^Ar l it

was a fair remark to make. He w&a r ~ : notan idiot. _ His obj actio as .wet®" 4 ? perfectly reasonable. Constable May next catae farwarct v aa an objector. Tiie wb<*e - names appeared on the petition ae~ -" companding iba application were aos all householders. Sirafen lodged with a man named Capon at Kurtpuni, while Bird lived Jm, e r Plain. The Sergeant eaid Uos«Hldpro<hiCß evidence iii" stated, Sl- - Pownall said in "reply, thai &3faraa tlto quibblss regarding the names, they certainly did not expect _ arguments from the gentlemen who had brought them forward. He wea

not going to deny that Eastwood had been convicted of allowing gambling,but he argued that this bad nothing to do with tii« application of Mrs Low. Wua it equitable: to deprive her of her all, because of what bapponed bofote she took po-taeasioD. " The Liccasiflfi Aot of - New Zealand did not dllow. the bftd conduct of a ; previous licensee to affect -bq appli- :: cation. The alleged bad conduct was > toe only ground on which an objection could be laid against the bouse, and oven the objectors had admitted that since Mra Low had bean in charge—during the last im ipeka

—it had been properly ooadooted. By Use Act of, 1881 it: . op- -•• tional for a Committee <«tf|Mfant a lioenso for an hotel, in. ipßPof the foot of a petition bung Jodgad against it. Hin olioni'Hvpoaitifln wu a peon* liar one. The hotel hud been purchased in Wellington, without Mr and Mrs Low knowing anything about - its ohar&ote/r,. She was now left & widow fjiith a. wmiljc to -support, and ? it would be ungenerous and ami to arefuna the license without giving her

& ItifiS. By having tbs licwnsa refused Mr* Low would be ruined and loss her all.. Slio w&a so disgusted with the bad character of the hotel, ti>*t she had determined—if the Howie waa granted—to obtain the Gommittse'a permission to alter im Banaoto thaw, Masonio Hotel, and if tha lipase waa granted ihey woult? fictl that uadac hor management is would be thoroughly well cwdaotgd. The iaeoasider sb® applkation, and.oa returning the Ohairajan fccaooaced' that the Committee h»d, aarefui: consideration, decided to grant" too liodsae. - The Court then it &«»g decided to hear tha application of T. 0. Bajnwr at 10 o'cloolr this (Saturday) morning, BATUIiOAY.

The Licensing Committee resumed its sitting at 10 ».&]. this »ormD*, all the members batug present, aow, Mtmh. ~ Thssg>psie&4ss& of %, 0. fcr a mjawal of s»aa» M tha Bcwsl xioial h - u hcafti, the Ms IWsu! spjseawd w s3» uphill-

Sergeant MoArdlu said ho intended to prove the mutters alluded to and gave evidence that ho was conspelled tojilale, lliat'within the kuowledg.* of witiie33, Rayner was frequently in an unfit Btute to oondnot on hotel, Mr Pownall said he must objrol to the evidence, of the Sergoant. The objection raised by hira had not. been lodged with the Clerk of the Court, in accordance with section 40 of the •Act.'■'Tho document was sinned as having been received on the 80th day of May, at 10 a m.

' The Bench decide'] to hear the evidence.

Continuing his evidence Sergeant MoAriiler said ho lmd frequently spoken to Mr and Mrs Rayner in reference to tlio character of persons frequenting thehonse. He also rend several documents containing reports of larcenies, etc,, alleged to h ive taken placo nt the hotel. By Mr Pownnll: Mr and Mrs Baynor did r,ot oontradiot the statement ftben the police mado enquiries. Hud said that it would be bettor if Rayner left tho house and and allowed his wifo to by herself. TpUsß Stewart gave corroborative

evidence. This was the case for the police. Mj Pownall said that ho would give a distinct deuial to the clause in the objection in respect of the class of persons who frequented tho house. It was Mrs Rayner who was trying to keep the business together for tho benefit of bemeli and futpily. He had to admit il-at unfortunately there was a good deal of truth in respect of the personal charge against Mr Rayner of intoxication. Bergt McArdle s*id that he had no desire to he bamb on Mrs Rayner, or that the license should lie canci-lleJ, Probably the Bench would speak to Mr Eayner and in doing so induce him to act differently for the future. The Bench retired, and on resimb ing, the Chairman said that they did .not consider themselves justified in ' to Mr R-iyner at jPgSWWobably Mr Pownall would for an adjournment in order that he might see his way to deal with the case.

Mr Pownall Asked if the Benoh would grant the liosnse to Mrs Earner, if ho got a propeily legal title for her to hold iC 1 Tho Bench said at present they saw no objection provided the' proper legal course was followed, and the Court ffas'adjourned to the 28th June next.