TIMARU.

Press, Volume III, Issue 173, 23 May 1863, Page 2

TIMARU.

On Wednesday evening, the 13th instant, fti public meeting was held in the long room of _he 5 Timaru Hotel, to inquire into and comment oil the refusal of the Bench to license the hotel' erected in the Government Town. H. Poigndestre, Esq., being colled to the chair, addressed the meeting, and said they were met, there that evening to express a feeling of disappointment that a license had not been granted to Mr. Allen, and called upon the gentlemen present , who felt interested in the matter to give their, opinion. Mr. N. Fisher, on responding to the invitation of the chairman, said —Mr. Chairman and gentle*-* men, I do not see how we can get at the root of the matter, unless we had some reason given, but we know of none, and it does seem strange that Mr. Allen* who is an old resident, and the first til build an hotel on the Government Town, should; be refused a license, and therefore I would call on Mr. Allen to give this meeting, if possible, the reasons why a license was refused him. Mr. Allen, on rising, said—Mr. Chairman ani, gentlemen, the only reason given for refusing n» a license was that there were several complaints' laid against the house, but as to the nature of tbecomplaints I was completely in the dark. Now,; gentlemen, I con show you by the list of names „ which I hold in my hand, and which were attached" to my application, that there could be no found**-- 5 tion -for those said complaints. Gentlemen, if there had been, my application would not have ... been so numerously signed, especially as among"the signatures I several find occasionally sit '\ on the Bench. Now, gentlemen, it appears to there is something more in this than meets thft v 4 3

W 8 and that lam merely mado *•-1 'cat's-paw,' as it were, to conceal some other - motiwe. It could not be that thero woro no moro noc-ded, or why is it that a license is granted for -Mr, Rhodes' public house j and, again, another licos_a_)* granted to tho son of Mr- Rhodes'agent, bo.hHllßll.ode9* Town? If gentlemen, I obtain my licoHenso, "which I consider myself entitled to, I shall -___. mE have always endeavoured to do, to conduc** my houso to the satisfaction of those who frequonratit, Proposed by Mr. Fisher, and MO-tided hy Mr. R. Dunnage, "niat in the opiniaoiiO-T this meeting Mr. Allen is a fit and proper po=sr*oii to conduct a licensed house." Carried. Proposed by Mr. Durand, an«=<l'oconded by Mr. R. Taylor, " That a signed by the raeetin", oi sent to Mr. WooHcombe, requesting him to coll a public meeting of tlio inhabitants, to enable them to express an opiiL__.ioii concerning the refusal of the Bench to licencw tho house on the Government To-wn." Carried - unanimously. Proposed by Mr. Fisher, onad seconded by Mr. Samuels," That a vote of tiuw-nb b»e tendered to the Chairman for his kuidnosss-. in presiding over the meeting." Carried. The proceedings then tenr____iMt.(3, and the requisition was at once signed by**" nearly 40 names.