OTAKI LICENSES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1910, Page 5

OTAKI LICENSES.

+ BOOTH AT WAIKANAE RACES. [BT TELEGHAPH — SPECIAL TO THB POST.] OTAKI, This Day. The quarterly meeting of the Licensing Bench was, held yesterday. Applications for transfers from James Woods to Robert Buckeridge (Telegraph Hotel), and from W. H. Higgins to Catherine Higgins (Weraroa) were granted. John Johnson, of the Family Hotel, applied for a conditional license for the Waikanae Racing Club's meeting on 2nd January. Constable Satherley did not think a booth necessary, but as he was not at the last meeting he was prepared to leave the matter in the hands of the bench. Constable Bagrie, of Levin, stated he was at the last Otaki meeting, and testified that a large amount of drinking hadbeen indulged in, chiefly by Maoris, several of whom were very hard to control. Two years ago he was there and there was no booth, consequently ' every- j thing was satisfactory. , If there was no booth only well-to-dc people took hampers, and the men addicted to drink '■ got very little chance. Constable Bagrie (to Mr. O'Connor) : I do not think it advisable to grant a license for any race meeting. Mr. Johnson, the applicant, said a man, referred to as being intoxicated at the last Waikanae meeting, got no drink, practically, from his booth. He had secured whisky from a hotel in Otaki and took it with him. It was hard for any licensee to have to «tand responsible for anyone getting intoxicated. The license was granted. An application for a temporary transfer from x. Taylor to Geo. M'Beath (Jubilee Hotel) v/as granted. The polios report on the Porirua Hotel ,was unfavourable, but as the full complaint had not been set ont, no action was taken, the bench holding that a more definite reason of complaint should be set ont, so as to allow the licensee to be present to give aa explanation.