Licence Renewals Refused 32 Hotels In Christchurch

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 June 1949, Page 3

Licence Renewals Refused 32 Hotels In Christchurch

CHRISTCHURCH, June 2. (P.A.). —Only two hotels out of the 34 in the Christchurch Licensing District complied with the requirements of the Christchurch City Council’s means of egress by-law, said the Chairman, Mr F. F. Reid, S. M., at the annual meeting of the Licensing Committee today. The committee refused to renew the licences in the case of the 34 hotels, and adjourned these applications until its next meeting. Mr Reid said that broadly speaking, nothing whatever had been done since the licensees had been warned last January, that the standard code means of egress was being adopted by the City Council. Power Of Suspension Mr Reid said later that the committee had power to suspend the licences, and, if it was satisfied that no genuine attempt was being made to comply with the requirements of the by-law, it would not hesitate to invoke that power. “The committee views with considerable dissatisfaction the non-.com-pliance by the owners of premises with the Christchurch by law No. 32 —the means of egress,” said' Mr Reid. “Out of the 34 hotels in this Licensing District, only two comply with the by-law. Reports indicate that contracts have been let in the case of 16 hotels, which means that there are 16 hotels where no steps whatever- appeared to have been taken to comply with the by-law. “At the annual meeting last year, the committee notified the owners and licensees that fire escapes, as they then stood, would be accepted for the then forthcoming licensing year, but they were warned to watch closely an y recommendations that might be embodied within the Royal Commission report and be ready to comply with them.” Warned In January Mr Reid said that in January, the chairman of the different Licensing Committees in the Christchurch and North Canterbury districts caused to be sent to all licensees and owners a circular drawing their attention to the fact that in so far as the City of Christchurch was concerned, the standard code means of egress was being adopted by the City Council as a by-law, and they were warned, in their own interests, to take immediate steps towards seeing that the requirements of the code were complied with before the meeting today. “The response to that warning has been most unsatisfactory,” he added. I “The committee appreciates the difficulties of the situation, and is aware that it was probably not possible for this to have been done with- | in that time, but the fact remains that, broadly speaking, nothing i whatever has been done.” | No Renewals | The committee would not grant re- i newals in respect of any hotels ex- ! cept the two which complied with . the by-law, Mi’ Reid continued. All ■ other applications would stand ad- ;

journed to the next meeting of the I committee. f “By that time, the Committee re- i quires all such work, if not completed to be at leat in hand, or s definite contract for its execution entered into,” said Mr Reid.