LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Northern Advocate, 2 September 1913, Page 4

LICENSING COMMITTEE.

ADJOURNED MEETING

The adjourned meeting of ttie Marsden Licensing Committee was held this morning. Mr E. Page, S.M., presided and the other members of the committee on the bench, were: — Messrs. W. Finlayson, F. J. Foote, C. Hawken, E. O. Weaver and W. Carter. S. McMahon, represented by Mr Kirker, applied for a renewal of the license for the Whangarei Hotel. Counsel stated that at the last meeting of the Committee resolutions were passed requiring certain hotels in the borough to erect adequate fire escapes to the satisfaction of the police, also in the case of the Whangarei Hotel the licensee was to make such alterations to his premises as to ensure that the entrance was private and separate from the entrance to the bars. The fire escapes were now be-, ing placed in position. There had ' been some delay in regard to the supply of the iron work. The work was costing between £200 and £300, so that it would he seen that the Committee's requirements were very onerous on the licensee, who was desirous, however, of carrying out the wishes of the Committee. He explained the structural alterations that had been made in regard to the private entrance and the bar accommodation. He was satisfied that all the requirements had been complied with. Mr Page said the Committee had considered the application and were prepared to grant the renewal. The police had put in a report recommending the renewal. The work of erecting fire escapes was satisfactory; also the alterations in regard to the bars and private entrance. The licensee would require to see that the private entrance was not used as a thoroughfare for the bars. Mr Kirker pointed out that it would be hard to make a hard and,, fast rule. The licensee could not stand at the door and direct people where to go. Mr Page: All we want is a reasonable interpretation of the request. Renewal was granted. n£_. poroti HOTEL. A permanent transfer of the license of the Poroti Hotel from Charles Ernest Watts to Frederick Ussher was granted on the application of Mr Kirker. A temporary £ransfer had been granted at the previous meeting.