LICENSING COMMITTEE

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 December 1935, Page 12

LICENSING COMMITTEE

QUARTERLY MEETING HELD. ‘The Westland Licensing Committee held its quarterly meeting at Hokitika, yesterday; present: .Messrs H. Moigan S.M. (Chairman), J. B. Kent, J. Goodall, J. Kyle, F. McGregor and T. R. Chesterman. Inspector T. E. Schou represented the Health Department, and Sergeant Gillingham appeared for the police. Applications were dealt with as follow: — . Courthouse Hotel, Kumara: Albert Clarke applied for a publican’s license. Inspector Schou stated that the airaiigements in regard to the drainage, and the water-supply to the bar, were not satisfactory. Mr. M. B. James, for the applicant, said he understood that the work had been completed. There was, apparently, little more to be done. ’ The Chairman said the police reported that there was no proper watersupply to the bar. Mr. James said that the licensee proposed to carry out the requisitions. Pointing out that it was six months since the matter was first brought up. the Chairman said that the licensee had been a long time over it. What was to be done? Mr. James said he would give an undertaking that the work would be done right away. It was not a very big job. The Chairman said the-Committee’s experience of similar undertakings had been that they were allowed to slide, until the next annual meeting. The Committee was of opinion that the present application should be adjourned, to allow the work to be done. They preferred that it should be completed, before the license was granted. The application would be further adjourned, and it was hoped that, when the matter came up again, the work would have been carried out. The Committee were becoming tired of small repairs taking more than six months to complete. CityeHotel, Ross: Matthew Nolan applied for a renewal of the publican’s license.

Mr. . James, for the applicant, said that the repairs had been carried out. The application was granted. Occidental Hotel, Hokitika: Joanna Boyd applied for a renewal of the publican’s license. Inspector Schou stated that, so far as the contractors were concerned- the work was not quite completed. Some of the work was unsatisfactory, and alterations were now in progress. The application was granted. Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, Greymouth: Annie Mclntyre applied for a renewal of the publican’s license. Mr. James said he understood from the Health Inspector that the repairs had not been completed, but were in course of completion. Extensive repairs, in addition to those mentioned in the. requisition, were being carried out. He asked for an adjournment. The Chairman said he had noticed that the work was in progress, but it seemed to be very slow. Mr. James pointed out that a complete overhaul of the premises was being made. The application was adjourned, for three months. Bush Inn, Aickens: Clara Youngman applied for a renewal of the accommodation license.—Granted, at the same fee, £5. Ferngrove Hotel, Ferguson’s: George Herbert Ferguson applied for a renewal of the accommodation license. Inspector Schou said he had not made an inspection, but the police informed him tha-t nothing had been

done. Mr. A. R. Elcock said that the owner wanted to carry out a general overhaul of the premises, but, in view of the recent licensing poll, he had not thought he was justified in finalising the plans, pending the result of the poll.

“He was frightened of no-license being carried, was he?” asked the Chairman. The police at Ross, however, had reported that the repairs had not been carried out, and the licensee had informed the constable that he was considering the question of allowing the license "'to lapse.

Mr. Elcock said that the licensee had not made up his mind whether he would erect a new building, or fix up the existing building. The Chairman: How can, he expect us to grant a license for the present premises, unless he has something definite about repairing them, or something definite about rebuilding? Mr. Elcock said that there had been a proposition for another person to buy the building and remove the license, but it fell through. The licensee would carry out the requisitions of the Health Department. - The Chairman said they did not seem to require very much work. Inspector Schou stated that any “handy man” could do the job. Mr. Elcock undertook to warn the licensee that he must get on with the work, immediately. The Chairman said that three months would be given, and, if the work was not done in the meantime, the licensee would run a risk of losing his license. Mr. Elcock promised to convey a warning, to that effect. The application was adjourned. TRANSFERS. Australasian Hotel, Greymouth: Norman Lainson Field to Mary Edith Carney.—Granted. Lake lanthe Hotel, Pukekura: William Wright to Cyril Fitzpatrick Crompton.—Granted. Masonic Hotel, Hokitika: John Joseph Morgan to Richard Francis Furness. —Granted. Tramway Hotel, Teremakau: Arthur Robinson to Drummond Anderson McM e e k a n.—Granted. Commercial Hotel, Nelson Creek: Jennie Ann Victoria Findlay to Percy George Willis. ' ’ 1 The Clerk said that the application had been filed two days late, although the application had been advertised. The applicant was not represented at. the meeting. Mr. Kitchingham was the solicitor. The Chairman: The Committee 1 think that the solicitor should be here, < to apply for a waiver. He is not here. 1

Mr. James said he would undertake to make the application for a certificate of waiver, on behalf of Mr. Kitchingham. The Chairman said that no one seemed to be prejudiced. It was just a matter of appearing before the Committee. The certificate of waiver, and the transfer, were granted. A KUMARA ANOMALY. The Chairman announced that there was one matter in connection with the police report, to which the Committee desired him to draw attention. It had to do with Murphy’s hotel, at Kumara. It appeared that the licensee was convicted, on May 20, for permitting an unlicensed person to be, in effect, the keeper of the hotel. Apparently, he had not remedied that position, as he should have done. Murphy apparently was not carrying on the business during business hours, hut was only' on the premises at night-time. A man,■ with a wife and family, was in charge 1

of the hotel during the day. That position was not as it should be. . The Committee thought that Murphy should either take up the license himself, and run the hotel, or else get it transferred to someone else. The matter was mentioned so that Murphy, or his solicitor, could take the appropriate action.