LICENSING BENCH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3181, 4 September 1917, Page 10

LICENSING BENCH

- 9 CITY HOTELS : MOSTLY WELL CONDUCTED The iiuartorly .meeting of Iho Licensing Committee was held nt noon yesterday. Mr. J. Smith, in the.absence of Mr. G. Kiddell, S.M., occupiod the chair. The other members of ,th© committee prosent wore Messrs. I\. Fletcher, M.P., W. J. Helycr, G; J. Pctlierick and G. Tiller. Tho chairman stated that ilic police report showed that all tho City hotels verts well conducted, ivilh the exception of two. Tho To Aro Hotel was reported as being "indifferently" conducted, and tho Now Zealuuder Hotel as being "badly comluctcd."

The transfer of the liccncc of tlio Britannia Hotel from C. M'Enroe to i). O. Euglundh was granted. >Vitli respect to tho application for the renewal of tho licence of the Now iualandcr Hotel, Mr. T. young, who appeared for the licensee, JUr. I". H. I'hiliips, asked for an adjournment. Ho stated tliitt fui'tlicr objection had been lodged to the rcnowal of the licence to Phillips, but the latter had arranged to sell out to Air. Adam Monro, who waa now procuring his certificate of fitness, and ill due course an application for the transfer of tho licenco to him would be made. •

Mr. A. Gray, K.C., whoj in the abseuco of Mr. A. W. Blair, appeared for tlio owner of the liotol (Mrs. Sullivan), stated that the.owner opposod tlio, transfer of the licence to anybody; but herself. They contended that tho Iciiso had been determined,because of serious breaches of tho covenants of the lease. Owing to tlio way Phillips had conducted tho-liotel, tho property liad been, placed-in. jeopardy, and, Mrs. Sullivan was anxious to restore its good name. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were looked upon in the light of trespassers, and an action hatl been commenced in tho Supremo Court against them for possession of the hotel. They maintained that Phillips had no right to transfer tho licence, and therefore (hey would oppose tho application. However, he would agree to an adjournment. Inspector Marsack, on behalf of tho police,' opposed the adjournment. Ho pointed out. that tho conduct of tho hotel since the last meeting had, if anything, deteriorated. Even since tho police report'was prepared for the Bench about ten days ago incidents had occurred ivhich Wore a scandal to Wellington— such incidents as should not be allowed to tako placo is any town. If the adjournment were agreed to the samo' sort of conduct would be continued. Mr. Young: In that .connection I might mention that Mr. Phillips was drawn in the ballot now published. The chairman thoughti that the inspector should reserve his evidence until a later day. . Ho stated that the Oommittno had'agreed to adjourn the matter, thinking it advisable, owing to the legal difficulties' involved, that Mr. Riddell should be present. The application was adjourned to J0.30 a.m. on September 28.