CONDUCT OF HOTELS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 51, 2 March 1911, Page 2

CONDUCT OF HOTELS.

DUE REGARD FOR PUBLIC OPINION. fBY TELEGRAPH— MtESS ASSOCIA!TmN.\ ** , j AUCKLAND, let March.' At to-day s meeting o{ the Auckland Licensing Committee, a complaint w& 3 made by the police against Henry PerS*? 1 , Smitll) llcensee of the Rising Sun Hotel, Karangahape-road (for whom Mr. J. A. Reed appeared), that men who were under the influence of liquor congregated about his hotel. Sergeant Cowan, Constable M'lntyre and Constable Murdoch gave evidence Ihe latter said lie had often seen women, who were under the influence of drink leaving the Rising Sun Hotel. Such » btate of affairs was not observable in regard to other hotels in the district. Mr. Reed pointed out that the evidence eet out more serious charges than, those the licensee had notice of, and ha asked that tho matter should stand over until the next quarterly meeting, and in the meantime the police- could maka another report. Sub-Inspector Hendry had no objection to this course .being taken. Mr. Reed added with, regard to the charge that women had been found drinking on tho premises that there waa no law preventing the supplying of liquor to women, but if the committed said that the licensee was not to serve women he would refrain from doing so. His Worship, in granting the adjournment, said the committee desired to remark that supplying liquor to women was not an offence under the Act, but I public opinion- was against the selling of liquor to women, and the committee thought that as a hotel which supplied liquor in this way was doing something which was against public opinion, such a hotel was therefore not properly conducted. It was conducted in a way that was not approved of, and therefor© it was conducted badly. • The same thing applied to the question of drunken people coming out of hotels at 10 o'clock at night. There was no evidence bore to show that these men were drunk, only) that half-drunken men were continually seen coming out of the hotel. It was not an offence to supply half-drunken men with liquor, but when they were found continually coming out of the place and loitering about, it was strong evidence that the hotel was badly conducted. This matter could stand over, but the view of the committee was that if this conduct was persisted in, or if improper conduct was continued, and tho committee had reasonably strong grounds to act upon, the license would probably, be cancelled. The licensee cooid have that to go upon. The committee then adjourned.