Name of an Hotel.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxii, Issue 6459, 31 December 1904, Page 1

Name of an Hotel.

The members of the Launceston Licensing Bench had before them recently a novel r petition. It was from the Tasmanian District of the Grand Lodge of Druids, and was a protest against the name of the Fire Brigade Hotel being altered to that of their order. The petition read as follows: — "That our order comprises over 1700 people in Tasmania, and that many of our mcmi bars are total abstainers and members of temperance societies. That we consider the naming of an hotel 'The Druids' Hotel' would reflect oa the wives and children of our members. That the backbone of friendly societies, such as ours, is their juvenile members, and that we are of opinion that the naming of an hotel by the name aforesaid is calculated to have A PERNICIOUS EFFECT upon each juveniles. That in the eyes of the public and many of the members the naming of an hotel by the name aforesaid would connect the same with our body, and that it would undoubtedly attach or connect our body with the liquor traffic. That we are a duly registered friendly society in Tasmania. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your worships will not grant the application of Mr Hardesty wherein he asks your sanction to change the name of the hotel at present known as the 'Fire Brigade'to that of • The Druid's Hotel," but will refuse your sanction to such an application so far as the same relates to the change of name aforesaid." Mr E. M. Law appeared for the Druids' Lodge, and Senator J. H. Keating for the applicant, Robert Hardesty. The chairman said that he had seen the Attor-ney-General in reference to the petition, and he had decided that under the Act the Bench had no power to compel a licensee to alter the name of his hotel. It was very creditable for the Druids to have petitioned as they bad done in the interests of their members, but as the Act stood the bench could do nothing. After further discussion the bench granted Mr Hardesty's application for a license for the Fire Brigade Hotel, to be known in future as the Druids' Hotel. _____