WINE-SELLERS’ LICENCE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27094, 18 July 1953, Page 5

WINE-SELLERS’ LICENCE

COUNCIL TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION

“As the association’s legal adviser has given an opinion on this matter, and the secretary of the Riccarton Licensing Committee (Mr A. Whitaker) apparently does not recognise Mr Martin’s opinion, the matter would now have to be subject to your council testing the case in Court,” said the secretary of the Counties’ Association (Mr T. M. McKewen) in a letter received by the Halswell County Council. .

When a wine-sellers’ licence was granted in the county in March, the council sought an opportunity to express an opinion, and it has since been seeking to ascertain what are its rights. The legal opinion obtained through the Counties’ Association stated 'that the council had the right to object to the granting of the licence.

“I do not know what qualifications the secretary of the Riccarton Licensing Committee possesses that enable him to challenge the opinion of a very will-qualified solicitor like Mr Martin, said Mr KcKewen, “but if you intend to challenge Mr Whitaker’s decision, it may be as well to get a confirming opinion from a local solicitor.”

“I don’t think we are sufficiently interested to take this any further,” said the chairman (Mr James Mackenzie). “It is a case of a storm in a tea-cup, or making a mountain out of a mole-hill. “In the first instance, the council suggested in a courteous manner that it could be consulted,” said the chairman. “The authorities apparently do not think so, though our solicitor does. At no stage have we indicated that we actually intended to oppose the licence.”