MANAWATU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9165, Issue 9164, 14 March 1910, Page 6

MANAWATU LICENSING COMMITTEE.

A FOXTON APPLICATION

The tuiarterlv meeting of abovj> was hekl on' ' Thursday. Present: —Messrs lverr. S.M. (chairman), R. K. bimpson, ]>, p. Lethbridge, A. C. Perry and 11. Sutclifle. 'i 1])" up plication for a permanent, transfer from C. Bird to il. S. Munro of the Family Hotel. Foxton, was the only business before the meeting. A temporary transfer was granted ut last quarterly meeting. . . Mr Cooper (Palmerston) appeared m support of tha application. The Chairman stated that representations had been made to the Committee with regard to the conduct of tiie hotel. Mr Cooper pointed out. that there was provision m the. Act for certain objection. but with regard to resolutions passed bv the Foxton No-License League, he claimed that they should be ignored, as the Act required that a memorial should be signed by not less than 10 persons. —The petition before the Committee only had six signatures and none of them had come to substantiate their objections. The Chairman agreed that the petition was not in compliance with the schedule, and therefore could not be accepted. The police report, however, was against the transfer being granted to applicant, and the Bench were prepared to hear evidence as to tho conduct of the hotel 6ince tho temporary transfer had been granted.

ilr Cooper pointed out that objections to the application could only bo raised under section 91 of the Act, which required that specific reasons .should be

given. Constable. Wood deposed that there had been several convictions against persons for being illegally on premises after hours. A charge of Sunday trading was preferred against the licensee, but was dismissed by Magistrate Thomson. The alleged breaches took place on the Sunday during Christmas and New Year holidays, and at that time flaxmill hands and other working men were having their holidavs.

Sub-Inspector O'Donovan said that the Icienseo had been warned of irregularities. and had promised the police that there would be no occasion for further complaint. The licensee had not I r c pi his promise.

Mr Cooper remarked thr.c his client v. as prepared to deny that ilio.'e wus ai y need for such a promise.

Mr Ritchie, representing the NoLicense League, asked to be heard on behalf of certain objectors.

-L' Cooper objected, ami the Chairman gave his ruling that the Act did not allow persons jo come forward and object. Objections from any section of 1 lie community must be presented by memorial signed by not less than ten persons. No doubt what Mr Ritchie intended to say had been substantially dealt with by the police, who were guardians of the public in these matters, and were required by Act to report fully on licensed houses.

The Bench retired to consider the up plication.

On returning the Chairman announced that the Committee had come to the determination that thej - would grant the transfer, but they wished at the same time to say that they were not all satisfied with the way the house had been conducted. The evidence of Constable Wood with regard to his visits to the hotel had not been contradicted. Not only had persons been convicted for being illegally on the premises, but it was shown that the licensee himself was behind the bar, with his coat off, evidently there with a view of selling liquor. Of course, the Committee took into consideration that this thing happened at a time of the year when it was extremely difficult for the licensee to conduct a house cxactly as it should be. Under the circumstances a license would be granted, but he reminded the licensee that at the annual meeting in June the Committee expected to have a full report from the police as to the conduct of the house. If it was then shown that there had been misconduct the Committee would certainly have regard to the Act, in considering whether the license should be renewed. —Advocate.