WAIAPU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 127, 8 June 1901, Page 3

WAIAPU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

ANNUAL MEETING.

, The annual meeting of the Licensing Committee for the district of Waiapu was held at the Courthouse yesterday morning, Mr Barton, 5.M., presiding. The following members were present: Messrs Jas. Macfarlane, A. L. Bellerby, D. Hepburn, and A. M. Gray. The Chairman apologised for the absence of Mrs Siovwright, on account of illness, and spoke in terms of praise of the services rendered by tha' lady

POLICE REPORTS,

The Inspector of licensed houses for the district (Sergeant Siddell3) reported: — “ Within the past two months I have personally visited the whole of the licensed houses in the district, with the exception of those situated at Motu and Kawakawa.

Attached to each application for a license will be found my suggestions and the state in which I found the houses. In dealing with every house I have carefully taken into consideration the surrounding circumstances and locality, for I am of the opinion that at isolated places it cannot be expected that the same class of accommodation can be provided as in the centres of population. In a number of the outlying accommodation houses and hotels I could not help noticing the little attention that was paid to the comfort of travellers and horses, tho salo of drink being apparently the first and only object. Of course this does not apply to all, for in some instances I could see that every attention was paid to both man and boast. The reports attached to applications deal fully with this matter. In the' course of my inspection I visited a number of very poor houses. Possibly in past yours when travellers and population woro scarce they suited tho times, but now tho outlying districts are thickly populated and tho houses are required by many travellers. Therefore I consider that, in quite a number of places a hotter class of houses should bo provided. It is a common thing'to hoar of a licensed house (that is unworthy of tho name) changing hands and a largo sum paid for goodwill. If the goodwill, as they call it, is worth such a lot, I think tho least that tho public can expect is that a decent house should bo provided. At nearly < very house I visited in the outlying i! tricts I found that tho outside conveniences were not kept as clean as they should bo. To my mind this is a most important matter. It surely cannot he much troublo to keep tho outside promises sweet and sanitary. At all places one closot should be kept locked for tho use of travellers. lam of opinion that all closets should he on tho pan system, and kept perfectly cloan. It is utterly impossible to keep a closet sanitary where tho same cesspit is used year after year. I have cautioned a number of licensees about this matter. There is no hardship or expense attached in having tho pan systom in force at licensed houses in the country. At Makarakatho licensees have pans, and their closets are kept in a most creditable manner. I wish the licensees to whom I have spoken on this matter, to clearly understand that if in future I find their premises in tho satno state, I shall certainly object to their licenses being renewed. Tho stabling in many places is not what it should be. At some places I found largo numbors of fowls in tho stables. Horses do not as a rule food well whon tboro aro fowls about tho feed boxes.

“ I mn of opinion that the hotels within the Borough of Gisborne arc boing well conductor!, and I do not observe any signs of late hours or Sunday trading.” The following reports on the various licensed houses were made by the Inspector. He advised in all cases that ladders should bo provided for lire escape purposes, and that all licensed houses using the cesspit system should rcplaeo it by the pan system :

David Gordon, accommodation license at To Puia, near AVaipiro.—There were plenty of licensed houses on the Coast road. Mr Gordon was a respectable man, and ho had no doubt that ho would keep a licensed houso in a proper manner. ' To Puia was within five miles of Waipiro, ho thought, and in that case an accommodation licenso could not bo granted. Charles Clarke, publican’s licenso for premises at corner of Gladstone road and Bright-strect, Gisborne.—Tho Inspector roported that these premises were occupied at the present time by Mr I* 1 . Hall as a residence and plumber’s shop. Plans of a larger houso wore to be placed before the committeo. Mr Clarke boro a good character, and had held a publican’s license in Gisborne for tho past two

years. Thomas Bartlett, an accommodation license.—Applicant was a half-caste Maori and his wife a full Maori. Mr Bartlett bore a good character, but it was questionable whether ho was a fit porson to hold a liconsc.

. .Ernest Woolright, license for Record Reign Hotel, Gisborne.—The house was a good ono and in good repair. Outside promises and conveniences wore kept clean, with the exception of a sink at the kitchen door, which required improving. During the past year no complaints had been made against the house. James Smith, license for Sea View Ilotol, Port Awanui. —Tho house was in good condition. Wilhelm Theodor Larsen, publican’s liconso for the British Empire Hotel, Gisborne. —Tho house was in very bad repair and generally in an insanitary condition. Tho insido of tho building should be renewed throughout. No complaints had been made during tho year as to tho conduct of the house.

Edward Hugh Mackey, publican's liccnso for Turanganui hotel, Gisborne. — Tho house was in first-class repair throughout ; tho earth closets and urinal wore in an insanitary condition and should be rebuilt at once. The house during the year was well conducted.

John Richard Quinn, publican's license for Royal Hotel. —The house was in good repair and well conducted. Wm. Frederick Sinclair, publican’s license for Tolago Bay Hotel. —The house was well furnished, clean, and well managed. Jas. Saul Cooper, publican’s- license for Hot Springs Hotel. —The local polico officer reported that the accommodation provided was not sufficient, and at least ten more bedrooms were required to meet tho requirements of tho public visiting tho hot springs. The stable wanted re-building, and at least six stalls provided. Wm. Aspinall for accommodation license for To Rahui Hotel. The house was old and poorly furnish -d, but it met tho requirements, as the house was seldom usod by travellers except in winter time. Tho outbuildings wore dilapidated, and needed improving. Jos. James Fry for accommodation license for Tawhiti Hotel, Waipiro. The house was much out of repair. The building was situate on a landslip, which was gradually working towards the sea. It would bo a waste of money to re-build on tho present site—a now house should be built as soon as the Waipiro township was thrown open for selection. At the present time better stabling should be provided, and tho earth closets should be ■ kept cleaner. It is one of the most important houses on the Coast, and when a now house is being built it should be a good one, with much larger stables than thoso at preseut in existence. Samuel Morrison for an accommodation liconso for Waerenga-o-kuri Hotel. The house was large enough for the locality. It was jflean and comfortably furnished. The fence and verandah floors were, however, in a dilapidated" condition. Moro light should also bo provided in connection with tho building. The urinal - should also be erected closer to the house than at present, and another tank provided at the stables. Geo. Brown Oman for accommodation license for house at Whatatutu, the Oil Springs Hotel. Additions were now being made to the building which would make it the best country licensed house in the district. The house was well conducted.

James Henry Harvey, for accommodation license for Tiniroto, the Lake House Hotel, the house was small, but in good repair, and additions were proposed next summer.

John Hodgson Aislabie, for publican’s license for house situate at Matawhero, the Boyal Oak Hotel. The house was in fair order, comfortably furnished, and

kept very clean. A bathroom, however, should be provided. Bobert Craill, jun., for publican’s license for Patutahi Hotel. The house was in fair repair. Cornelius O’Connell, for publican’s license for house known as the tVaerenga-a-hika Hotel, the Inspector reported that the house was very old, and the upstair rooms were much too small. A bathroom should be provided, and the closets replaced with new ones. The house was well conducted. Win. Gault, for publican’s license for house situate at Gisborne known as the Argyll Hotel.—The house was in a very | dilapidated condition, and in its present state unfit to hold a license. He understood that in a few weeks’ time the house was to be taken over by a new owner, who proposed to effect considerable repairs and additions. The furniture is poor, and the premises not as clean as they should be. Powls were kept about the yard, a I practice which he thought should be discontinued in towns where yards were small. No complaints were made as to the conduct of the hotel. John Alfred Harding, for license for Masonic Hotel, Gisborne.—The house was a good one, and in good repair, was well furnished throughout, and kept in a most creditable manner. He understood further additions to the building were contemplated. Tho house was well conducted, and no complaints of any kind had been made,

Cornelius Neenan, for publican’s license for the Ormond Hotel. —The house was an old one, in fair repair. It was much too small for the locality, and should be enlarged at once. A bathroom should be provided; the kitchen was insanitary. The house was well managed. Edward Quinn, for license for Bridge Hotel.—The house was a first-class one, comfortably furnished and clean, and the accommodation provided very good. Geo. Cottrell, for publican’s license for To Puka Hotel, Tokomaru. —The house was a first-class one, in good repair. The accommodation was excellent.

Thos. Steele, for publican’s license for Albion Club Hotel, Gisborne.—The house was a fairly good one, in good repair, well furnished, and kept very clean. The only thing wanting was a second bath room. Amplo provision was made for escape in case of fire. No complaints have been made as to the conduct of the house.

Wm. B. Oman, for publican’s license for Rangitira Hotel.—The house was much too small, and should bo better furnished ; also the closots should be kept cleaner.

Arthur Po.yzcr, for publican’s license for Wairoa Hotel.—The hotel was in firstclass order as regards cleanliness and furniture.

Albert Edward Beckett, for publican’s license for Frasertown Hotel, Frasertown. This hotel was in first-class order.

Thomas Hewitt, for publican’s license for Clyde Hotel, Wairoa. The hotel was in first-class order.

Peter Crarer, for publican’s license for Ferry Hotel, Wairoa. The house was in good order as regards furniture and cleanliness. The kitchen wanted re-building, also the stable, with accommodation for at least six stalls. The closets wanted re-

building, and the yard required at least forty loads of shingle on it. Maurice Hogan, for ."publican’s license for Roseland Hotel, the house was in excellent repair, clean, and comfortably furnished. The house was carefully managed. No complaints had been made.

Honry Martin, for license for Gisborne Hotel, the house was very old, and showed signs of disrepair. The place should be either rebuilt, or very extensive repairs carried out. No fault could be found with tho accommodation provided. The licensee was convicted and fined for per-

mitting drunkenness on his licensed promises in December last, but outside of that no complaints had been made. Charles Butler, for license for premises at Port Awanui, theßoso Hotel, the house was in fair condition, well furnished, and clean.

A. E. Adams, for ptiblican's license for Kaitoratahi Hotel, the houso was small, but ample for the locality, and was clean and comfortably furnished. It was re-

commended that the stables be improved by erecting three moro stalls, and loose-

The Chairman said that the Committee was pleased to see from the roport that there was an absence of Sunday and after-

hour trade, and sincerely hoped that this stato of things would continue. The Committee found from the polico reports, as

well as from personal inspection of tho premises, that many of the licensed houses had been allowed to got in a bad state of repair. Ho warned hotelkeepers of tho dangor they ran in allowing such a state of things to exist, and pointed out that an improvement would have to bo made.

PROPOSED CRITERION HOTEL. Charles Clarke, of Gisborne, applied for a license for a new hotel, which he proposed to erect in Gladstone Road, and name the Criterion. Mr F. Baumo, of Auckland, appeared in support of the ap-

plication, and Mr Nolan against. Mr Baume objected to Mr Nolan appearing, but after hearing Counsel on the point, tho Bench decided in favor of Mr Nolan being heard. Mr Baume made a spirited advocacy for the license being granted, but was met with the obstacle that a suf-

ficient number of hotels already existed, and that the Bench could not assume that any license would bo allowed to lapse, in reply to the Bench, Mr Baume admitted that it was intended 'another licenso should lapse, and he offered to indemnify the Bench in case there might be any objection on technical grounds, as his client was prepared to take all the risk.

Mr Nolan having replied, the Chairman stated that the committee could not grant tho application, the number of licenses required being already in existence. Prior to tho above application, Mr Jones applied on behalf of D. Gordon, for a licenso tor tho Waipiro Hot Springs. Tho Chairman intimated that they could not consider an application until there was a vacancy. Mr Jones said that he had an-

ticipated this objection, and would now apply for a month’s adjournment, his object being that if a license did lapse, as had been hinted, his application would be considered on its merits. The Bench declined to adjourn, and hold the matter over until Mr Baume made his application. On that decision being given, Mr Jones asked leave to withdraw his application.

A similar course was taken by Mr Nolau on behalf of Mr Thomas Bartlett, who was applying for a new license for an accommodation house on the Nuhaka road.

TRANSFERS GRANTED.

John Robertson, accommodation license at Waiapu, Te Rahui Hotel, to Win. Aspinh.ll. Mr Chrisp for applicant. George Anyon, Record Reign Hotel, Gisborne, to Ernest Woolright. Mr Jones. Charles Clarke, British Empire Hotel, Gisborne, to Wilhelm Theodore Larsen. Mr Lysnar. Robert Hciry Campbell, Turanganui Hotel, Gisborne, to Edward Hugh Mackey. Mr Nolan. Frederick Herbert James Stevenson, Royal Hotel, Gisborne, to John Richard Quinn. Mr Nolan. Eliza Walker, Sea View Hotel, Port Awauui, to James Smith. Mr Jones.

NEW LICENSES FOR OLD HOUSES

Record Reign, Mr Jones for applicant. Granted.

Sea View Hotel, Mr Jones for appli cant. Granted.

British Empire Hotel.—Mr Lysnar appeared in support of the application, and Mr Jones to watch the interests of tho landlord (Mr Joyce). Mr Lysnar said that ho appeared for the lessee, but ho understood that Mr Jones would give an undertaking on behalf of the landlord that additions would be made. Mr Jones stated that Mr Joyce intended to make considerable additions. A plan for that had been put in. The only 'question was as to ample time. Othor hotels were going up, and it would. be-difficult to get the building .erected within a short period. —The Chairman! I suppose that six months would- be sufficient.— Mr Jones: Oh, no; only to get it started. They would do their best to get it done, but from what they had seen of the building trade he was afraid that it could not be done. The Chairman, speaking for the Committee, said that the licenso would be granted subject to the house being re-built

within six months. They were satisfied with the plan.—-Mr Jones said it was possible they might want to improve on the plan, and the Chairman said that any suggestion of that kind could be made. Turahganui Hotel; Mr Nolan for applicant.—The Committee granted the license conditionally on the closets and urinals being pulled down and re-built within one month.

Royal Hotel ; Mr Nolan for applicant. —Granted. Tolago Bay Hotel, Mr Nolan for applicant.—ln this case the question of the pan system for sanitary purposes came up for the first time, Sergeant Siddells objecting to any house using cesspits. The Committee adopted the Sergeant’s recommendation, and said that it would be en- ,

forced in all cases. Hot Springs Hotel.—Mr Nolan for applicant. Mr Nolan said he did not think the extra room recommended was necessary. The Chairman : You can address yourself more in reference to the stable. Mr Nolan said that was being erected. — License being granted conditionally on a six-stalled stable being erected within six months ; the long time was allowed owing to the difficulty in getting timber across I the Wairoa bar. Mr Nolan said, if the timber could not begot there in time, he supposed the Committee would consider that. The Chairman said they would not I be unreasonable in the matter. Te Rahui Hotel, Mr Chrisp for appli-

cant.—The Chairman said that he, in company with Sergeant Siddells, had visited the house, and he had no hesitation in saying that it was the most necessary house in the district. Mr Chrisp applied for a reduction of the license fee ; the house was, ho said, necessary in the interests of ‘the travelling public, but it was an expensive one to keep up. The Chairman said that in case of people arriving at the place at night they would either have to sit out on the bank all night or go

into a Maori whare. The Committee made the fee as low as possible, one pound. Tawhiti Hotel.—Mr Bousefiold 'wrote :

“With regret I write to inform you of the way in which the hotel known as the Tawhiti Hotel at Waipiro Bay is carried on. My sister-in-law and I arrived there on the evening of the 29th of March, and asked for rooms, and were told that the hotel was full. I then asked if they could find a bod for a young lady. They then put her with some other ladies, with which we were quite satisfied. We all went to the Waipiro ball, and on returning Mrs R. Murphy, Miss King, and my sister-in-law found their room occupied by a man. On asking the reason they were told they ought to look after their own room, and that ladies were more bother than they were worth. When they de-

manded their room the man was taken out and the ladies had to make the best of it without any change being made in the sheets, which I think was - disgraceful. It struck, me that the hotel was run for those who drank and spent their money over the bar. I managed to get a room after some trouble, and when I went to it I found six Natives in three beds and a man very drunk under one of them. I told the Natives.to get up, and Mr R. Murphy and myself had to take a bed also without a change being made in the sheets. The drunken man still slept under my bed, and three Natives in tho other, the room being about eight feet square. For this accommodation we had to pay Is 6d. I can bring Mr D. Hawkins and Mr R. Murphy as witnesses, as they were treated very much in the same way as myself. We did not expect a room each in such a small place, but we did expect civility and

attendance. When the ladies came down to tea they were told to go to the other end of the table, as the seats that were

well set were for a few. When one has to pay very dear for this sort of thing, I think it was time it was seen to. I sincerely hope you will consider the matter, and have a new house built.— Yours, etc. F. B. Bouseeield.”

Mr Nolan, who stated that he appeared for tho applicant, said that at the time Mr Bousefiold spoke of it was a gala week, and there was not accommodation for anything like the number who desired it. The same thing happened in the largest centres. In Christchurch he had

known of people having to sleep in the Square because they could not get a bed. In this case tho ladies had boon provided with a room and given the key, but had gone to the ball, leaving the door open, a foolish thing to do when there was such a- likelihood of having beds jumped.

The landlord had done tho best ho could for them. As for Mr Bousefield, he

had not been given a room, but had gone and turned out of their own beds men who

had been sleeping there for four nights previously. In regard to the table, no doubt the ladies had been asked to go to one end of it, so that it would be kept more select for them. The landlord had done his best at a time when there was an

exceptional number to try and accommodate.—Tho Committee decided that a

publican’s license would be granted in place .of an accommodation house, a new building to be erected in accordance with tho plan when land was available. They hoped there would be no more complaints. Mr Bousefield was not there to substan-

tiate tho complaint he had made, but the Committee hoped there would be no more, or it might affect the license. Mr Nolan held that no notice should bo taken of the complaint, there was a proper way to make it, or men in the street could lodge a complaint. Waerenga-o-kuri Hotel. —Mr Nolan for applicant said that the improvements had been effected, except in regard to the urinal, which would bo put in any place suggested as suitable. Mr Nolan then applied for a reduction of the fee. —License granted, at same fee, on condition that certain improvements be effected. Oil Springs Hotel, Whatatutu. —Publican’s license granted, instead of an accommodation house license. An objection by Mr Lysnar was over-ruled, tho Chairman saying that the Committee had fully considered tho matter. Mr Lysnar: If you have made up your minds before coming into Court . The Chairman : You have no right to say that. Mr Lysnar: If you have fully gone into the matter beforehand . The Chairman