CONDUCT OF HOTELS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 58, 6 September 1945, Page 4

CONDUCT OF HOTELS

POWERS OF LICENSEES

Authority for a licensee of a hotel or his delegate to arrest without warrant any person found on his premises whom he has reasonable grounds for believing is in a state of intoxication, or is or has been, indulging in disorderly, improper, unseemly, or unlawful conduct on his premises, was suggested by Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the course of his evidence before the Royal Commission on Licensing this week.

Drastic amendment or revision of Section 181 of the Licensing Act, 1908, was needed in order to clarify many of the doubts that had arisen as to their interpretation, said Mr. Luxford. Other suggestions relating to the conduct of licensed premises were: — The prohibited acts should be permitting intoxication and disorderly, improper, unseemly, or unlawful behaviour of any kind whatever. The whole area of licensed premises, other than bedrooms and private rooms occupied by lodgers or by the licensee, his family, guests, or servants, should be deemed to be a public place during both opening and closing hours for the purposes of Part II of the Police Offences Act, 1927. After any arrest as mentioned, the licensee or person authorised by him, must forthwith report the arrest to the police and deliver the person arrested, to a police officer on demand. A licensee should not be deemed to have permitted intoxication on his premises in the case of a lodger or a member of his family or of his private guests or. servants actually living on the premises provided that he has taken steps to remove any such person to a private place on the premises. The penalties should be increased and a conviction should carry forfeiture of the licence.