City South Licensing Meeting.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 101, 3 May 1886, Page 2

City South Licensing Meeting.

Ttao Bob Roy Lioonso. Thk sUilutary meeting of tho City South Licensing Committee took placo at tno K.M. Court-house at noon to-day. Present:—Messrs Hurpor (Chairman), A. l'orter, C. Hoaketh, 11. F. Anderson, and J. Winks. Jlr George applied on behalf of VV. Regan for the transfer of the license of tho Itou Kob Hptel to new premises at the corner of Union and Drake-streets. Ho said thut tho nocoßßary notico in accordance with tho act had been given. He put in a largely signed petition in favour of tho grunting of tho transfer on tho following grounds :—(1) That in consequence of j the making and complotion by the Auckland i City Council and Harbour Board of tho extension of Drake-street along Freeman's Bay boach, tho old howso is out of tho main lino of traffic between Auckland and Poneonby, besides being inconveniently situated on elevated ground. (2) That tho house to which the liconse, with your approval, is proposod to bo removed, is ;v now, Bubstantiul, commodious, and ornamental briok Btruoturo. (3)-< That suoh new building gives very much indfeasod bodroom accommodation, and sxich W> in our opinion, likoly to be required, (i) That the population in tho neighbourhood of tho said house is increasing very rapidly, and tho said now house ia some considerable distance from the other licensed premises on tho main line of road. (5) That by granting tho said application the distance between tho said hotel and tho nearest one to it will bo increased, and the convenience of the residents in and about Franklin Road will bo consulted by tho proposod removal. The householders' certificate certify that tho applicant was a person of " good fame and reputation," and was signed by the following:—H. P. Gibbons, C. Chambers, S. Devenport. J. Raynes, J. W. Harrison, B. R. Harrison. W. O Hara, R. McCabe, J. Billington, A. Hemingway, J. G. Walsh, and J. Nuttor, Mr Superintendent Thompson said the house was a good ono and thoroughly made for tho conducting of a respectable hotel business. Tho police had no objection to tho applicant, who had conducted an hotel business for somo years without any complaint. Mr E. Cooper said that he appeared for several objectors who hud given notice of thoir intention to oppose the transfer of tho license. Tho reason was that tho houso was not required, and wished to point out that in the petition or form of transfer it was not stated that the house was required. Ono petition was signed by six persons and tho other by seventy-four. He also intimated that the western portion of the district had been eanvassod regarding tho transfer and 200 had signed'in favour thereof. Tho eastern portion of tho district had been canvassed in tho interest of the licensee and 100 had signed in favour of the license but tho other side had not canvassed, thinking that the application would not bo made until the annual licensing meeting, which would tako place in throe months time. He argued that as last year the applicant had thereby been granted a renewal of the licenso with the view of giving him an opportunity of obtaining another means of gaining a livelihood so that no injustice would bo done to him by tho refusal of the transfer. Mr Coopor thon lengthily argued that tho hotel was not required on the grqunda of tho proximity of other houses. It was quite possible that other portions of tho City South District required public houses, but this did not.

Tho Chairman said the answer to that was the i"esult o£ last Tuesday's election. TV.i istuo was whether this liconse should i ■~ ...lud or not, and thoratepayors decided in 1.1, jur of granting tho licenso.

Mr Cooper said that tho olection had been decided by the ratepayers and not by the house-holders--men and women—who were protected by tho Act. Ho thought tho propor courso to pursue was to adjourn the application until the annual licensing meeting. Tho present application was most unfair to tho potftionors reprosentod by him as they merely objected to tho transfer of tho license, and not, so far aa ho knew, to tho renowal of the license to the old premises. He again argued that tho house was not at present required. Tho bench mustnot take into consideration the fact that the house might bo required. Mr George urged the grunting of tho licence, both on the ground that tho licence was required and also that a great injustice would bo inflicted on the applicant if tho transfer was refused. In proof of the fact that tho licence was required ho montioned that tit present tho old Rob Boy was full of boarders. Regarding the suggestion to postpono the application till tho annual meeting, he apprehended that as they had givon the necossary twenty-one days' notico, in accordance with the provisions of tho statute, that was all that was roquired of them. Tho Chairman said the Committee thought that tho transfor should bo granted, and the Committee were pleased to see businoss being conducted in a good house. Two years ago, when ho previously had tho honour of occupying a seat on the bench, soveral houses had been rebuilt, and ho was glad to see that they still rotained their licences. The transfer would, however, be held by tho clerk of the court; until tho house wne furnished to the satisfaction of Mi* Superintendent, Thomson. This was all the business.