LICENSING COMMITTEES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6871, 8 March 1883, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEES.

SYDENHAM. The first moettng of the newly-elected Lioensing Committee was held at tho Borough Council office yeoterdayj present Meaers PritchiHfd, Bone, Bowden, Williams, and Dr Franklin. Bißonosr op ohaibmah. Dr IPrankieh was elected Chairman of the Committee. The polioe report on the licensed houses in tho district, wioh was of a satisfactory nature, was laid on the table. APFMOATIONB *OB SXTBHBIOK. Stephen Lawrence, licensee of the Club Hotel, applied for an extension of bis license from 10 p.m. to midnight. He pointed out that if his request was granted, he would be only on the same footing as other publicans. He bad been given to understand by the former Committee that when hii bouse w*i completed tho extension would be granted. Mr Xoughrey, on behalf of Mr 0. V. Money, applied for an extension of the license of the Southern Cross Hotel till 11 o'olook. Be stated lihat the house in question was situated near the udey&rdi, and it would be convenient to the frequenters of the yards if the extension were granted. The 'Chairman, said that the Committee had thought the matter over, and had come to the ooiioluiion that it was imprudent to extend lioensen beyond 11 o'clock. Consequently both applications would reoeive the same treatment, and the lioenses of Messrs lawrenoeand Mousy would be extended to XI p.m. The Oommittes were unanimously of opinion that no IB o'olook lioensei should be granteel unless there were very good *«Mo ffl « indeed for 10 doing, and in a suburb like Sydenham, where there was no theatro, it wai not desirable to grant them. Mr l<awrenoe would remind the Committee that he had fitted up a biUiard-roem nt considerable expense. The Chairman said that the Committee

would not grant any extension beyond 11 o'clock* Messrs Money and Lawrence thanked the Committee for granting their extensions. HMW XtOIHH. Mr S, O. Thomas wished to know the Opinion of the Committer at to whether they would be wilting to grant a license to another house if well conducted, and situated In a neigboorhood where it was required. The person on bshalf of whom he was making this application was Mr Scrimshaw, who wished to erect at) hotel in Durham street, at the corner of Batteries street, a quarter of a mils from any other licensed house, the nearest being that of Mr Lawrence. There were no betels in the street, which was one of the two main thoroughfares running through the Borough. In the other thoroughfare, Colombo street, there were three licensed houses. There had been a licensed house on the section, which had unfortunately been burned down, causing a loss to Mr Scrimshaw of £2OOO. Mr Scrimshaw intended to erect» building of superior character os his own freehold, and to conduct the hotel himself. He would remind the Committee that the population of Durham street was a largo one, and had increased since Mr Scrimshaw's pre' vious application had been refused, The Chairman said that the Committee would like a Little time to consider the application. The room was then cleared. After a somewhat prolonged deliberation, the public were re-admitted, and the Chairman announced the decision of the Committee. He said that the Committee had arrived at a decision, although not a unanimous one. The whole of the members, however, thought that the peculiar circumstances surrounding the application of Mr Scrimshaw deserved tho favourable consideration of the Committee; nevertheless, two of them thought that an hotel was not necessary in the locality where he proposed to place it, and would have preferred some other situation. The majority, however, thought that if a house like that of which Mr Scrimshaw had submitted plans were erected on the site mentioned, they would favourably consider an application to grant it a license at the annual meeting. This concluded the business, and the Committee adjourned. EYBBTON. The first meeting of this Committee was held at the Boad Board office, Ohoka, yesterday, at noon; present—Messrs P. 0. Threlkeld, B. Coup, B. Evans and J. L. Wilson. Mr Threlkeld was elected Chairman. An application for the transfer of the Ohoka Junction Hotel license, from 0. A. Faun sine to H. Cole was made, and the police report being satisfactory it was granted. It was resolved that the fees for extensions within the district be for races, £2 2a; ploughing matches or sports, 20s; and extensions in the hotel te.midnight, 10s. It wae decided to hold the quarterly meetings of the Committee on the first Wednesdays of June, September, December and Maroh. The members of Committee being of opinion that the Government should fill the vacancies in Committees, on the recommendation of the Committee it was decided to 'submit the namo of Mr E. Hiatt to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr H. Yette, who was illegally returned at the last election. It was moved by Mr Wilson, and teoonded by Mr Coup—" That in the opinion of this Committee the present licensing system, as managed by Committees appointed for small distriots, is cumbersome and expensive, and the members would be favourable to the appointment of one Committee for the Ashley County, to include one representative from each of the present distriots." It was pointed out that the expenses connected with the Committee might be reduced to one-ninth less than the expenses of one of the existing Committees, and that looal bodies would receive a fair income from the fees which were at present nearly swallowed up with expenses. Mr Wilson oontended that the administration of the Aot would be of a more independent obaracter and"do away with the anomaly which prevailed in the granting of extensions. The Chairman and Mr Evans expressed then- opinion that the present Committee were exercising a control over excessive drinking which the motion would tend to destroy. The motion being put it was declared negatived by the casting vote of the Chairman. This concluded the business, and the meeting adjourned.