18 Otago And Southland Hotels May Lose Licences

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1950, Page 2

18 Otago And Southland Hotels May Lose Licences

WELLINGTON, This Day (P.A.).— The Licensing Control Commission, in a reserved decision, has called on the owners and licensees of 18 of the 89 hotels in the Central Otago, Wallace and Awarua licensing districts to “show cause why their publicans’ licences should not be cancelled.” This action, the decision said, was taken because the commission had found that, throughout these licensing districts “there are licensed premises in sparsely populated areas, sometimes in out-of-the-way, even in Many of these are a reminder of the boom of goldmining times now long past.” In addition, the Commission ordered either the reconstruction of, or improvements to, another 20 hotels in the three districts. Nevertheless the decision said, the Commission had found in a good many places in the areas that came under review substantial, well-built hotels of attractive design, providing comfortable, clean, and homely accommodation for comparatively small communities. “This is a matter on which the Commission is pleased to comment, the decision added. But a question of concern to the authority was “the lack of suitable provision for fire alarms and fire escapes in several two-storied wooden hotels.” . . , j In some cases, the Commission had found the. provision of rope ladders to be the only means of emergency egress. “This is considered to be an entirely unsatisfactory method of egress and will not be permitted. Directions will be issued to licensing committees that urgent and particular attention must be paid to. the provision in all hotels of suitable file alarm systems and fire escapes.” The decision said that' in a number of places in the three areas the Commission felt there were some licences serving very small populations which, in view of the limitation of licences available under the existing law, might not be justified, but it had preferred to take no definite action at present. “When it has completed its review of the whole country, it will be in a better position to judge whether or not the greater needs of other localities make it necessary to cancel further licences within these areas.”