LICENSING BENCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 132, 5 June 1900, Page 5

LICENSING BENCH.

CITY OF AUCKLAND DISTRICT.

APPLICATION FOR 11 O'CLOCK LICENSES.

The annual meeting of the commit-

tee for the City of Auckland Licensing District was held at noon to-day in the S.M, Courtroom. This was the first meeting of the recently elected committee.

Mr H. W. Brabant, S.M.. chairman, and the following members of the committee were present: Messrs J. J. Craig, A. Ro.scr, M. Casey, P. E. Cheal and E. Bond.

Inspector Cuileu and sub-Inspector Wilson were present on behalf of the police, Mr Fred. J. Burgess being clerk of the Court. A strong muster of the legal profession were also in attendance.

Rev. W. J. Williams, W. Spedding and H. C. Haselden, members of the Prohibition party, were also present in- Court.

ELEVEN O'CLOCK CLOSING

Mr T. Cotter, when the license was renewed for the Aurora Hotel, said he had been instructed to apply in this case that the time for keeping open be extended to 11 o'clock. He did not know whether the Court w7ould consider it better to take these applications separately, or wait until all cases were dealt with, when the applications for extension could be all dealt with together.

His Worship said he would note the application, but 'the question would be dealt with later on. It would be necessary for the application to be made in each case. Where such application was not made the committee would take it for granted that an extension was not required. Mr Cotter said he had been instructed by the Licensed Victuallers' Association to apply for the extension in all cases.

His Worship said he did not see what the Licensed Victuallers' Association had to do with the matter.

Mr Cotter: Excepting that it represents the lot, Your Worship, but we can apply in each case all the same.

IN CASES OF TRANSFER,

Mr Cheal said in future in cases where transfers were granted he thought it should be an instruction to the police not only to give a report re applicant's character, but also as to the reason why the other licensee was leaving a house. His Worship said if they had an undesirable man in a house the best thing- was to get rid of him without further trouble. (Applause.) No doubt if required the Inspector of Police would furnish the information.

Inspector Cullen said he would only be too glad to do so, but hitherto when they got rid of a bad man and the committee had done with him he did not see they had anything- more to do except to see that he did not get another house. If the committee meant that, -they objected to such a man going out of a house all he could say was that he (the inspector) did not. (Laughter.) His Worship said probably the committee thought that if a man conducted his house so badly that the license had to be transferred the police should have proceeded against him. Inspector Cullen said it was very easy to think that the police should proceed in such cases, but His Worship was aware.from his experience in Court that it was a hard thing to bring all the police knew to court. If they brought a weak case and it was dismissed then the police were thought to be persecuting the. licensee. _ There were many cases that might be brought before the court, but they knew it would be useless to do so. His Wors'hiT. said the committee would be quite satisfied before long that the present Inspector of Police was not the one to let a man who deserved punishment slip through his fioffcr.S'. Mr Cheat said still he thought in certain cases a renort, should be made as to the reason why the man had to transfer the license. His Worship said if later on the committee wished to pass a resolution to that effect he would forward it to the Inspector of P&lice. PITZROY HOTEL. When the question of granting a license for this hotel was called His Worship remarked there hud been an application to transfer the license of this house to another place. _ Mr Hugh Campbell said he wished to intimate that in consequence of a memorial lodged against the proposal to transfer the license of this house to a building on the Glenalven property, the matter would not be proceeded with. It was not the. wish of the owner .of .the. property "or he licensee to remove the hotel m the face of the opposition manifested. Mr Cotter intimated "that he appeared for those who signed the memorial against the transfer of the . The license was then renewed to Mr John Little. GLEESON'S HOTEL. When the application of Bridget Evans for a renewal of the license of G-eeson's Hotel was called, Inspector. Cullen said this vm a^ase where the applicant had not guen full satisfaction. The police had brought a case against her for supplying liquor to a drunken man but a crowd of witnesses were produced to show that the man did not get the liquor in that, hotel, and the case was dismissed. _ ~ His Worship said he heard the case himself. There was evidence that the man was ill, although probably he was under the influence of liquor at the Mr 0. Nicholson mentioned that the licensee was absent from the hotel at the time the case occurred. His Worship, continuing, said he thought the evidence showed partly illness and partly drink, and he was not sure that it would have been right to turn, what might have been a sick man, out of the house simply because lie had some drink.

Inspector Cullen said he did not intend to oppose the renewal of the license, as there had been a vast improvement in the conduct of the hotel latterly. He simply mentioned this case that others would know that where the police were not quite satisfied with the manner in which a house was conducted, they intended to let the Committee know the facts of the dase. The application for renewal was then granted. RENEWALS. The following renewals were granted ' there being no objection by the police: —Aurora Hotel, J. J. Donovan (Mr T. Qottter appeared); Bribcm/art Hotel, Joseph. Molloy (Mr Nicholson appeared); Central Hotel, James Rolleston (Mr Campbell appeared); Criterion

Hotel, John Morrison , (Mr Campbell appeared); Freeman's Hotel, Freeman's Bay, Geo. 11. Brewer (Mr Campbell appeared); Metropolitan Hotel, A. E. Drake (Mr J. R. Reed appeared); Newton Hotel, Malcolm Triston (Mr Armstrong appeared); Railway Terminus Hotel, Jules Vallamaere (Mr Reed appeared); Shamrock Hotel, Thos. Buxton (Mr Campbell appeared); Wynyard Arms Hotel, Francis O'Dowd (Mr Campbell appeared); Albert Hotel, Lindsay Cooke (Mr Cotter appeared); Albion Hotel, Michael IT. Walsh (Mr Nicholson appeared); Alexandra Hotel, H. H. Dyer (Mr Nicholson appeared); Anchor Hotel, A. J. Tapper (.Mr Reed appeared).

Bricklayers' Arms, J. Verrall (Mr. Cotter appeared); British Hotel, Simon Coombe (Mr S. Hesketh appeared); Caledonia Hotel, William McManus (Mr Reed appeared); City Hotel, John Sullivan (Mr Nicholson appeared); City Club, Robert W. Brown (Mr. Nicholson appeared); Carpenters' Arms, T. R. Nixon (Mr Cotter appeared); Clarendon Hotel, William Lynch (Mr Cotter appeared). In the case of the Clarendon Hotel the committee agreed that the police report before the next quarterly meeting as to the conduct of the hotel, especially after-hours' trading. Other renewals were granted as follows: Commercial Hotel, Alfred Kidd (Mr Cotter appeared); Edinburgh Castle, P. Quintan (police to have a report at the next quarterly meeting as to the papering of the house, Mr Cotter appeared); Empire Hotel, W. Stewart (Mr Nicholson appeared); Fit.zroy Hotel, John Little (Mr Campbell appeared); Gleeson's Hotel, Bridget Evans (Mr Nicholson appeared); Grand Hotel, Alexander Johnston (Mr Nicholson appeared, and said that thirty bedrooms were to be added to this hotel, and tenders had (been issued); Hobson Hotel, M. Foley; Globe Hotel, Francis Little; Imperial Hotel, W. H. Pearce; Queen's Arms Hotel, A. R. Hardy; Market Hotel, A. R. Dunn (Mr Reed appeared); Naval and Family Hotel, Robert Fawcett; Oxford Hotel, Wm. Mahony; Prince of Wales Hotel, Chas. Dodge; Ponsonby Club Hotel, S. W. Buck (Mr Campbell appeared); Prince Arthur Hotel, D. Norden; Park Hotel, D. Walker; Queen's Hotel, Chas. Reinhardt; Queen's Ferry Hotel, W. Stimpson; Queen's Head Hotel, Edward Blair; Robert Burns Hotel, Chas. E. Stone. • .-.:-.

OCCIDENTAL HOTEL.

When the application of J. W. Russell for a renewal of the license of the Occidental Hotel was called Inspector Cullen said this was a place regarding which there were complaints about betting men and lads going there to transact their business. He simply wished to warn Mr Itussell that if this continued the police would object to his license being renewed. He had no doubt the place was becoming the haunt and resort of betting men and characters that shoudl not frequent, the house.

Mr O. Nicholson said they had no notice from the police of this objection.

Inspector Cullen said he was not going to object, but simply to warn Mr Russell.

Mr Russell: "I don't permit it in my hoxise. Mr Northcroft himself once said that bookmakers had as much right to have refreshments as any other persons.." His Worship: "No one disputes that, I suppose." ' Inspector Cullen: "I simply 'object to people going there to make bets." Mr Nicholson: "But the licensee does not permit betting in his house." - Mr Russell said that when the City Council made the bye-law against street gambling, he took the precaution to have notices.placed in the hotel to warn people he would not permit betting. He would be only too glad to assist Inspector Cullen if he believed gambling went on in the house. The license was then renewed. (Proceeding.)