Bob Roy License.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 98, 24 April 1886, Page 2

Bob Roy License.

(To The Editor.)

Sib, —I see there is to be another election in the South Ward for Licensing Commissioners, and the partiesoppoting each other are not going in altogether to decide the Erincipals of moderation and abstinence, ut the fight is to be by interested parties for and against tho licensing of a certain house to be called the Rod Roy. Now, that seems strange, for to my mind it matters not which party becomes elected, they cannot give a license to the new house. There are two reasons — Firstly, the present license waa renewed last time conditionally for one year only, and the then chairman gave the reasons for so doing; therefore, virtually this license expires or lapses by effluxion of time, and a renewal or transfer of license should not legally be given. This is what I consider a commonsense view of the case, and if it should be law, then, secondly, no Licensing Bench has the power to grant a new license, because the South Ward has declared against any new license to be granted within its boundary for a certain period, and that period has not expired yet.—Yours, &c, Hubert Obam.

Sir,—As it is admitted on all sides that no question of principle is involved in next Tuesday's election, and that the license of the Rob Roy is the only point in dispute, I hope the South Ward ratepayers, of all shades of opinion, will not allow the district to he injured by closing a house which is a great ornament to the neighbourhood and enhances the value of all the surrounding property. It is situated in a position which absolutely requires such an accommodation, being tho only houso (the Freeman's lying back from the route) on tho actual line of waterside traffic between Hobson-street and Ponsonby, I am sure tho Good Templars can have no wish to make the fortunes of the few public-houses thoir policy has left among tho increasing thousands of our population; but, I would ask them, what else can be the result of their determination to satisfy their severe idea of virtue by depriving tho populous district of Freeman's Bay of its share of cakes and ale."— I am, yours, &c, South Ward.

BlSih,—ls not the proposal to license the houso at the corner of Franklin Road a seeking to evade tho poll whioh was against the issue of new licenses 1 Does not the present Rob Roy belong to a different landlord, and is not tho license hold by a different person to the one proSosed to be put in the new house built by Messrs agger and Co. ? If this is so, how can it be a transfer of iicenso ? It appears to be only a transfer of nanio. Licenses cannot be bartered about in that fashion. It may be the brewer has a license; even that would give no such rights sought,—l am, etc., Inquibeb.