WAKATIPU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Lake County Press, Issue 2635, 8 June 1916, Page 4

WAKATIPU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Annual Meeting-. The annual meeting of the Wakatipu Licencing Committee was held in the Courthouse, Queenstown, on Thursday last. Mr H. A. Young presided, and the elective members of the Committee present were Messrs A. T. Ford, G. F. Johnston, F. T. D. Jeffrey, D. Maoleod, and J. McMullan, juu. Owing to the Health Inspector having recently paid a visit of inspection to the hotels in Lake County and the southern portion of the licensing district, the majority v of the licensees had been called upon / to effect extensive repairs to their pre mises, consequently considerable in- - terest was evinced in the proceedings. Upwards of thirty hotelkeepers were present, and as a considerable quantity of evidence was taken in respect of almost every application the meeting was a protracted one. The committee met at noon, and the hearing of the last application was not disposed of until 10 -15 p.m. The committee met on Friday to review the evidence, and shortly after 1 p.m the decisions in respect of the various applications were announced Inspector Norwood watched the proceedings on behalf of the Police, and Mr A. I. Redman represented the Health Department. In connection with the Health Inspector’s report, the Chairman said the committee had carefully considered the matter, and had decided that m view of the abnormal state of things at the present time, all the improvements asked for by the Health Department would not'be lequired just now, but would he brought up again at a future date. Hot water in tbs bar and the water-flush closets would not be required at present. lie then announced the improvements to bo carried out ab

each hotel. The applications for renewals would bo adjourned to the next quarterly meeting to enable the improvements to be completed, aud the new applications .would be granted subject to the improvements being carried out. If they were not completed in an expeditious manner, the police would report, and the licensees would be summoned to show cause why the license should not be determined and put an end to The following applications, against which no objections had been lodged, were granted without comment:— —Permanent Transfers.— Ballarat Hotel, Arrowtown—Charles Edward Robins to William Penglase. Commercial Hotel, Clyde—Executors of Peter Harrington (deceased) to George Larking. Post Office Hotel, Queenstown—

Official Assignee in estate of William Scott to John Timpany. —New Applications for Accommodation Licenses.— Qarston Hotel, Garston—John Plank (Fee £2O). Halfway House Hotel, Waenga— John D. Winter (£6). —Publican's Licenses Glenorchy Hotel, Glenorchy—James C. Knowles. Welcome Home Hotel, Lowburn— Michaol L. Spratt. Dawson's Hotel, Cromwell—James McDonald. , Wanaka Hotel, Pembroke Hugh G. S. Glass. —Accommodation Licenses.— Royal Hotel, Waikaka—Denis Corcoran (£2O). Cardrona Hotel—John Willoughby £2 10s. Welcome Home Hotel, Long Gully —Henry J. H. Lewis (£5). Otago Hotel, Skippers—John Flynn <*6). Nevis Hotel—W. F. Robertson (£2O). Hawea Flat Hotel, John Griffiths (£l2 10s). —Wholesale License.— David A. Jolly, Melmore Terrace, Cromwell. —Packet Licenses.— Leonard Robertson (for New Zealand Railways)—T.s.s. Earnslaw ; p.s. Mountaineer ; s s. Ben Lomond. The following applications were granted conditionally on certain repairs, recommended by the Health Department, being carried out: —Publican's Licenses.— Mountaineer Hotel, Queenstown— John Collins. Elfcow Hotel, Lumsden John Clisby. Empire Hotel, Waikaia—William John Spence. Post Office Hotel, Queenstown— John Timpany. Ballarat Hotel, Arrowtown —William Peuglase. —Accommodation License.— Queensberry Inn, Queenßberry William Reid. The following applications for renewals were adjourned to the September meeting, to allow of improvements ordered by the Health Department being carried out : Eichardt's Hotel, Queenstown—-Van Paine. c Antrim Arms Hotel, Frankton— Michael James Lynoh. Mt. Earnslaw Hotel, Glenorchy— Claude F. Young. Railway Hotel, Riversdale—William Kelly. Crown Hotel, Waikaia—Leah A. Cruickshank. Riversdale Hotel, Riversdale—John Gee. Royal Oak Hotel, Arrowtown—Andrew Jopp. Moßride's Family Hotel, Queenstown —Leon Curtis. Ferry Hotel, Lower Shotover— William J. Ohurstain. Central Hotel, Arrowtown—Mary Johnston. Royal Mail Hotel, Lumsden—Alice McDougall. Commercial Hotel, Waikaia—Wm. Cronin. Railway Hotel, Lumsden—Joseph M. Crosbie. —Accommodation Licenses.— Railway Hotel, Mandeville— Maurice M. Roche. Lake Wakatipu Hotel, KingstonRobert R. Cameron. Junction Hotel, Parawa—Thomas Shirley. Longridge Hotel, Balfour—James 0. Olive, s ' Albion Hotel, Luggate—Henry J. Hunt. In respect to the following applications, the repairs and improvements suggested by the Health Department were slight, and on the verbal assurance of the licensees, or their counsel, that the repairs would be carried out the licenses were granted : Commercial Hotel, Clyde—George Larking. Bannockburn Hotel, Bannockburn--James A,. McLedowney. Hartley Arms Hotel, Clyde—Michael Meenan. Junction Hotel, Arthur's PointMargaret McChe3ney. Dunstan Hotel, Clyde—Annie L. Mack. Golden Age Hotel, CromwellRobert Haigh. Lindis Pass Hotel —Christopher W. Slade. In the case of the Victoria Hotel, Cromwell, Sergt. Bingham, of Clyde, reported that the improvements asked for last year had not been completed, but the greater part of the hotel was being rebuilt, and the Health Inspector, of Dunedin, and he were satisfied that when the work was completed the improvements asked for would have been carried out. The application was therefore granted. —Lake Wakatipu Hotel, Kingston.— Robert Renton Cameron applied for a renewal of an accommodation license for the Lake Wakatipu Hotel, Kingston. "The police objected to the granting of the application on the ground that the applicant had been arrested on a criminal charge, and although the charge had baen dismissed, it was contended that applicant was not a fit and proper person to hold a license.

Mr D. Oooko (Dunedin), who apt peared in support of the application, - protested strongly against the action of ) the police in bringing before the com- • mittee a charge which had already been heard and dismissed by the i magistrate. He said that it was most unfair and un-British for the police to i ask the committee to practically re-try a man on a charge on which he had already been proved innocent. Inspector Norwood said the principal witness bad gone back on her original evidence, and there were other facts in connection with the case which should bo placed before the committee. The Chairman said the committee would hear evidence, and would give a decision later. Evidence was given by the applicant, Dr Edio, and Constable McLennan, who arrested Cameron. At a later stage the Chairman announced that the committee could not tale cognisance of a charge that had not been proved, and the objection lodged by the police would therefore be over-ruled.