CONDITIONAL LICENSES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 8 June 1909, Page 1

CONDITIONAL LICENSES.

The matter of conditional licenses was next mentioned. The Chairman thought in the case of conditional licenses, the voice of the whole Committee should be heard. Personally, he would like to have the opinions of individual members of the Committee, b&fore giving his decision, although he might not be bound by their v,ew. Where he had been in the South, conditional licenses had been granted for race meetings, but not for other gatherings. It was considered there that race meetings were frequented by men and women whom looked after themselves, but for gatherings which were attended by children and a large number of young children, it was not desirable to grant conditional licenses Mr Watson said that the Committee had refused to grant conditional licenses for the last race meeting. The Commit tee thought the public should know their feelings in the matter, so that they could be guided in the future. He proposed that no conditional licenses be granted for any purpose. Mr McLaren seconded the motion. Mr Pettit supported, and said he had seen quite enough of conditional licens:e to make him support the motion. Mr Best oposed the motion. The refusal of conditional licenses did not stop drunkenness. He would support these licenses being granted for race meetings, anil, perhaps, agricultural shows. me Chairman did not think the Committee would be in order in passing the resolution. Any person was at any time entitled to apply for a conditional license, and the application should be con sidered by the Committee on its merits. Trie Committee might put on record what in their opinion ought to be done in regard to conditional licenses. Mr Atmore said that the Chairman should be guided by the expression of feeling in the district. The last election had been fought largely on the question of 10 o'clock closing, the question of conditional licenses not having been raised. He was prepared to take each application on its merits, and was disinclined to take advantage of what after all was legal technicality, in that two members could approve, and thwart an ex pression of opinion from three members. Mr Atmore remarked that it had been the practice of the late Magistrate to vote with the majority of the Commite The Chairman was not prepared to say how he would vote, but he would take into consideration the fact that the public had returned a Committee pledged tc certain wishes. Mr McLaren said that thrfe of the candidates put forward by the Ter- ( perance Party had been elected on_ the ( Committee, including himself, practically a stranger. He contended that a large majority who voted for them disapproved of conditional licenses. After further discussion the. first motion was withdrawn, and the following by Messrs Watson and McLaren, substitiified : "That every application for a conditional license will be considered on it? merits, but in thr. opinion of this Committee the granting of conditional licenses in this district is not desirable." On being put the ayes were Messrr McLaren, Atmore. Watson, and Pettit. Mr Best voted against the motion. It was resolved to inspect the licensed houses in the city at an early date. On Messrs Pettit and Atmore's motion, it was resolved that the Inspector of Licensed Houses be recommended to obtain a report on tho sanitary conditions of licensed premises from the Public Health Officer before, each annual meet' lift- ! The Committee then rose.