THE EXCHANGE HOTEL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 15 June 1920, Page 2

THE EXCHANGE HOTEL

LICENSE B EN EWED. WARNING FROM THE BENCH. The application 'of <l. I). Moriarty For a renewal of a publican’s license in respect to the Exchange Hotel, v hich was adjourned at the annual meeting of the Licensing Committee last week, on account of the manner nr which the house was found on the flay of the Commit lee’s visit, came up for consideration yesterday all or noon. Ail the members of the Bench wore present. Mr Moore; who appeared .for both the licensee and tiro owner, stated that since the last meeting of the Bench a lire escape had been fixed, and a now urinal erected. Referring to the state m which the bedrooms were found on the day the Committee visited. Mr Moore explained that on that occasion all the linen had been taken off the bcas, and Mrs Morigrty was only waiting to he relieved in the bar before, 4 making the beds rip. The licensee was quite prepared to have the bedrooms in order by 10 a.m. if the Committee so desired. Mr Moore suggested that the Committee should pay another visitto the'hotel before coming to a decision. ■ ’Regarding the position of the owner (Mr Saunders), counsel pointed out that the premises had been inspected by both the Sergeant of Police and the Health Inspector, and it was understood that these reports were satisfactory ; and the owner had been taken completely by surprise by tho report of the Committee. Ho had been prepa red to re-build ; but tho war had intervened, and now under the now building regulations he could not build if he wished to. - 1 The Chairman : That is only begging the question. You have no intention or rebuilding. Supposing you applied tb the Minister .for permission to rebuild, and stated that the Committee wore going to refuse a license if a new building was not erected. You could .make it a matter of urgency. * Air Saunders «aid it was very difficult to build at the present time, it would) a Iso lie difficult to obtain somecue to run a good house if it was erected.

The Chairman; You admit yourself as a man who wants to run a proper house, that the house is not fit to accommodate the public. If the house had no license you would not think of asking fur one. Mr Saunders said that _ had it not been for unfortunate «circumstances there would have 'been a good hotel, and he would have been in it himself. The Chairman: That is so. But are we going to carry this on for an indefinite term and license the place, which is nothing else but a place to serve liquor? Mr Saunders ; I admit there are rather a rough class of people to cater for. but- the rooms are mostly always occupied.' This class of people hhve to be accommodated somewhere. The Chairman : That is the trouble. Ton have net sufficient- accommoda-' tiou. In reply to a question by Mr Ldwards as to tvhetber fie was prepared to spend a substantial sum on improvements, Mr Saunders said that less than three years ago lie had spent £3OO in this way. Mr Pettit said that the building had been condemned by the Committee six years ago,, when a promise was made to vc-bnikl. But advantage had been taken of the WarBegulations Act, and so far nothing Lad boon done. He would not for a moment consider granting a unless the owner came forward with something definite. .Mr Srtimdors said it was his intendo the best possible in the circumstances. Mr Pettit- said the Committee were there as the trustees of the public to see that certain things were done, and if the owner’s position was such that bo could not do these things, the Committee could only say they would not give a license to the house. That seemed to him the only ' way they could deal with it. Air Cann agreed that the building was out of repair and the rooms untidy on the day the Committee visited. But lie would like the Committee to have another look at the premises before coming to a decision. •Mr Edwards was of opinion that the Committee’s action had achieved the object so far as the licensee was concerned, He asked what prospects tb re were of putting the hotel in sii' hj a condition that it would appeal to the Committee to renew the hcc'se? $ The Chairman said the real position wa ; that Air Saunders was not prepared to re-build at present. It would ■ r.ob pay him, and-he (the chaimm) could quite understand that. The Ck nnutte would adjourn to consider tlr> matter. An resuming, the Chairman said the Committee bad considered the matter, and they had taken into account the fiu I that it was impossible .for, the pwncr to re-build. As a Committee they 'considered that the house did not provide sufficient accommodation to warrant a license, but they could not refuse it because it came up to the standard required by the Act. _ “But we mean to issue the license with the special condition that if the house is ever found in the condition it was in when we visited it, the license shall be forfeited; and, apart from that, if at any time the house is allowed to go into such a state of disrepair that it would be a ground upon which the Committee could refuse the license, they will refuse *it. I -advised the Committee that they have now the power to refuse this license on the 'condition that they found it ill Oil that date. But there are other elements in the question. AY hat they want me to impress upon those concerned is this: That if it ever comes into our hands again wo will not exercise the leniency we are exorcising now.” , .. Mr Moore: The owner will see to it that the premises will never bo in the same condition again. The Chairman said lie- had advised the Committee: that they could hot say to the owner, ”A r o # u must rebuild. ' But if certain conditions arose the Committee could say, a We shall refuse a license.” The license would be granted under the conditions stated.