OPPOSITION BY GOOD TEMPLARS.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1312, 22 April 1874, Page 3

OPPOSITION BY GOOD TEMPLARS.

The first meetings of the above Courts were held in the Court House, Onehunga, yesterday—Mr Barstow, R.M., being chairman. It being widely known that the Good Templars had got up petitions and objectors to several of the public houses a large number of the public were present to see the result. The unopposed applications for certificates being disposed of one of the opposed, Mr John Moore, for the Royal Oak Hotel was heard. It was ruled by the Court that the petition signed by some one hundred and fifty adult residents in the township and neighbourhood should not be received, and that Mr C. Fleming, the appearing objector, could not be heard, as he was a resident in Onehunga and not in the Eden district. Mr Sheehan appeared for Mr Moore, and the application'was granted, with some severe remarks from theß M.—Mr Cullen, Victoria Hotel, was opposed by petition, and Mr Spragg was the principal objector. Mr Sheehan was solicitor for the applicant, and contended that as 'Mr Spragg was not able •from personal observation in the house to prove his allegations he should not be allowed to produce hearsay evidence. Several witeesses were in attendance to prove Mr Spragg's statements, but were not called. Mr Barstow, in stating that Mr Cullen's application was granted for this year only, told him that a black mark was entered opposite his name for the way in which his house had been conducted, and that this black mark would be remembered at the next meeting.—Mrs Williamson's application for a license for the proposed hotel at the Government wharf was ably supported by Mr J. B. Russell, and a most respectable petition of some 400 names. There was a counter petition and objector by the Good Templars. The objector had nothing so say against the character or fitness of Mrs Williamson, but simply that another house was not required in that locality.— The* application was ultimately refused, the Chairman using the wordd of the objector "that another house was not required in the locality."—During the day there was some by-play between the objectors and the solicitors, and it may be very good law but hardly equity that those objecting to licenses being granted should not have the advantage of being heard by counsel. It would also materially facilitate the dispatch of business.