New Oban Hotel May Lose Licence

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30478, 27 June 1964, Page 14

New Oban Hotel May Lose Licence

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, June 26. Because of the owner’s “flagrant disregard for the rulings of the Licensing Control Commission,” the Southland Licensing Committee is to ask the owner of the New Oban Hotel, at Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island, to show cause why the licence should not be cancelled or suspended.

The holder of the hotel premises licence is Mardi Gras (Otahuhu), Ltd., of which the principal is Mr J. Gisby, Dimedin.

Before a meeting of the committee today was an application by Rex Beatty Lockett for renewal of the hotelkeeper’s licence in respect of the hotel. This was provision-

ally granted, on the application of Mr G. B. Fea. Mr C. C. Fraser, who appeared for the owners, said plans to provide additional accommodation at the hotel and to carry out requisitions for repairs, additions and maintenance of the existing building had been laid, but it had been found that the owners could not finance the work. The hotel had been on the market for some time, and this week there had been firm developments, said Mr Fraser. He said the hotel might be taken over by a company with the finance to cany out the improvements required. Mr W. N. Willis, S.M., said: “It might be better to sell it to someone with responsibility, rather than finance.”