LICENSING POINTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 808, 11 June 1903, Page 2

LICENSING POINTS.

THE CHARACTER OF APPLICANTS

FOR LICENSES.

A SUGGESTION.

At the Licensing Comtuitt-.e tneetlrg on Wednesday, the Chairman announced that the Committee had received from Messrs Swan and Nioholas, on behalf of (he Licensed Victuallers' Associa'ion, a letter suggesting from the Associa ■ tion'g executive that in (he event of licenses changing" hands a certificate as to the character of applicants (new men) should be obtained from the Association. Ie was pointed out that ihis would p. event uusuitable persons becoming licensees, and the suggestion was made that the matter should be brought under the notice of the Premier, with the view of legislation in the direction indicated. The Chairman said the Committee had considered tbe suggestion but hnd come to the conclusion that' members of aa Association were only human, and it was possible that a person who was suitable might not be recommended. There was no doubt a laudable desire on the part of the Association to keep out undesirable persons- t^at c}ass of which the prohjbitionists had so much to oomplain, ond he (the Chairman) thought that when dealing with future applications he would not only ask the police for a report, but also the Chairman of tbe Executive of the Association. Of course, it did not follow that h certificate wou-d issue becau:e of that report. Mr Welsh, in reply to the Ch&irm&p, said he would like to think over" 1 the suggestion Mr Kenny said he did not quite know what was tneaut by " new man." Did it refer to a man new to hotol business or to the district? Ho would see Mr Swan find, also consult with Messrs Welsh and Oaplen, In the meantime the matter could stnnd over. SELLING BEER IN QUANTITIES TO MAORIS. A STOP TO BE lUT TO IT. Mr Welsh said the liot-nseos had | instructed him to 'inform thn Comtnitteo th-tt they were de'ermircd to put a stop to the sale of liquor over the counter in any large quantity. The sys'ein, they believed, ltd to bad hxbits on the part of the natives, and in iho interest of the ooromuni y this decision had been come to. Mr Rowe sa : d that personally he was glad' Mr Welsh* had brought the matter forward, and that tbe hotel keepers had taken the initiative. The Chairman said he was euro every member of the Committee would be pleased. Tbe practice in the past was not an illegal one, but it was most objectionable,, and one likely to. bring licensees into trouble. How could they know that when they sold a man a gallon or a gallon and a half that some of the liquor might not be partaken of .by a man who was drunk' already, or be, given to native women ? Mr Ste wart said it was a pity prohibition was not extended to the native rrrn. The Chairman said that licensees should as far as possible prevent women going into hotels.