THE ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2776, 29 April 1890, Page 3

THE ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir,—As the above meeting is now drawing near, and the important question of whether the license of the Royal Hotel shall be renewed will have to be decided, I think it is high time the public expressed an opinion on the matter. I think every unprejudiced person ' will admit that the number of public-houses, not Only in Hamilton but throughout Waikato, is far in excess of public requirement. I am not one who woflld arbitarily close hotels_ where vested interests of any magnitude exist, and where such closure might mean heavy loss to both owner and licensee, but in the case of the Royal no such restriction need impede the action of the committee. The hotel has been allowed by the owners to get into such a state of dilapidation as to become uninhabitable, and they have paid no attention to the requirements, or even the safety of the publio, but now the house is condemned, I understand they wish to rebuild, not a large and commodious hotel such as the other hotels in Hamilton, but a building such as may comply with the minimum regulation of the Licensing Act, which will, in reality, be little better than a drinking shop. Under these circumstances I submit respectfully to the consideration of the committee that the only question for their decision is whether the house is really required for the convenience of the public or not. In tact the spirit and intention of the Act seems to me that the application should be treated not as one for renewal, but as a new license. Should the application be granted, the public will not have an opportunity, for many years, of reducing the number of hotels, as the bugbear of vested interest and compensation will act as a bar. There is nothing to be considered but the interests of the public, the present licensee having been glad to get out of the place with a heavy pecuniary loss. In conclusion, I would suggest that the temperance organisation in our midst, assisted by the ministers of the different denominations, should get up a petition against the renewal of the license, which, I am sure, would be largely signed by those who have the real interest and welfare of the people ,at heart, as well as many who have sutfered by the drinking facilities s» recklessly afforded them.—l am, etc., Tejipebakce. Hamilton East, April 25th, 1890.