POLICE OBJECTION TO RENEWAL OF HOTEL LICENSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23269, 2 June 1950, Page 6

POLICE OBJECTION TO RENEWAL OF HOTEL LICENSE

Allegations that the licensee was of drunken habits and that the hotel was conducted in an improper manner were made by the police against Michael Hyland, licensee of the Waiapu Hotel at Tikitiki, when objecting to the renewal of his license at the annual meeting of the Gisborne Licensing Committee yesterday. The granting of the application was also objected to by 10 electors of the district. Mr. G. J. Jeune appeared for the applicant, Senior-Sergeant G. S. Norris for the police, and Mr. K. Gillanders Scott for the residents. Evidence by Constable The first to give evidence for the police was Constable D. P. Motley, who said when he first went to Tikitiki three years ago the licensee appeared to be a normal man of 68 years. In the past year, however, there had been a steady decline in his mental faculties. On July 2 a football team had visited the district and the trophies were held in the bar of the hotel. The licensee had been approached for a football cup by his son. “The licensee did not know him and there was difficulty in getting the cup,” said the constable. Constable Motley said he had seen the licensee under the influence of liquor, so much so that he was not able to pour liquor into glasses. He had seen him sitting on the floor of his office.

People who had requested accommodation had been turned away when (he hotel was not full and they also had objected to the licensee’s manner of address, lie said.

To Senior-Sergeant Norris, the constable said he had seen the licensee in an intoxicated state at 3 p.m. and he had been in an advanced state at 5 p.m. To Mr. Scott, Constable Motley said he had heard complaints of patrons in the bar only being given small glasses and they had claimed that when they sought lOoz. glasses they were told to get out of the bar.

Constable Motley sai d the licensee would not serve spirits to Maoris. He had had complaints of patrons not being given the correct change, this being short. Complaints of delays in serving had also been made, one patron claiming he had had to wait threeouarters of an hour for a drink when the bar was not crowded.

Constable Motley said the bar had been shut from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. He had not seen any excessive drinking to necessitate the bar being closed in the afternoon. Senior-Sergeant's Evidence

Senior-Sergeant L. E. C. Wilson, Ruatoria, in describing the licensee’s method of serving drinks in the bar, said he would always have a drink with patrons whether they asked him to or not. In his opinion, the licensee had not rendered the service to the public which the holder of a publican’s license should.

Senior-Sergeant Wilson said he had inspected the premises recently and found the general appearance of the hotel to be excellent. The accommodation part of the hotel, run by Mrs. Hyland, was in excellent condition and the bar clean.

To Mr. Scott, Senior-Sergeant Wilson said the conduct of the bar did not compare favourably with that of other hotels.

To Mr. Jeune, Senior-Sergeant Wilson said he was aware that the licensee had conducted licensed premises at Port Awanui before the license was transferred to Tikitiki. The former was isolated and inaccessible and he had heard of hard conditions under which people lived in the old days. A licensee would have to be fully in control of the native inhabitants. If he slipped it would be the end of the hotel. He realised that from 1912 to 1936 the licensee at Port Awanui would have to be a strong man and he understood that he would not always have the assistance of the police at Port Awanui. He would say that Hyland was a man living in the past, said Senior-Sergeant Wilson.

The police sergeant said closing of the bar at Port Awanui during the afternoons would be quite a reasonable precaution. He appreciated that as an aged man. the licensee would have difficulty in remembering a newcomer to the district.

The hearing of evidence from some of the electors was taken and the committee adjourned for lunch.