LICENSING COMMITTEES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7271, 9 March 1885, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEES.

CIT3T NORTH ADJOURNED -QUARTERLY MEETThk adjourned quarterly meeting of the city North Licensing Committee ■ was held on, Saturday at. 'the. ; Resident Magistrate's Court. . Present :" Mr.-I?. ; G. Ewington (Chairman), Messrs. Robt. Heal and Joshua Robinson.—Albion Hotel.— was an application for the transfer of the license of the Albion. Hotel ..from John Morrison Russell to '"John" •'•Lynch. Mr. George and Mr. HesketE appeared for the applicant. The application /had been adjourned because the committee alleged that there had been Sunday trading, and Mr. George said that he understood this was the case.— The Chairman said they were not aware when they first met that it was the same man who had been convicted of Sunday trading in another house, and their business was to inquire into the fitness of applicants applying for a license. They were prepared to grant a further adjournment.Mr. Hesketh made an explanation. Two persons went to the King's Arms Hotel oh Sunday for drink, and he refused to supply them. He went for the police, and during his absence they compelled Mrs. Lynch to supply them with a pint of beer each. Bo was sued, and at once pleaded guilty, but after hearing the evidence, struggled not to convict, but being compelled to do do, as-he pleaded guilty, they imposed a fine of 5s and costs. He produced certificates from two next door neighbours as to the excellentand satisfactory manner in which Mr. Lynch had conducted the Albion Hotel since he took charge of it.— The Chairman said they were prepared to deal with the application. now if it was desired, and they would grant a further adjournment; but if they were asked to decide they would do so under tb» 89th clause. If the had their witnesses here they would have the evidence on oath, and if they wanted time to $et witnesses, to show that he was a proper person to hold a license, they would grant the adjournment. Hesketh: Then I understand that the Bench is not by what 1 have urged,,—The C-airman said that was so,

This application caused him a great deal of anxiety, and they felt they were not prejudiced. When persons came to him he' Sold them to tell him nothing which they were not prepared to substantiate on oath, face to face with the applicant. If they satisfied the Bench that Mr. Lynch was a fit and proper person to hold the license of this important hotel, in the centre of the city, the committee were prepared to hear .the evidence in favour of the applicant.— Mr. Hesketh said, under these circumstances, he had no choice but to ask for an adjounment. 'He made a further explanation in regard to the quarrel which took place when the, applicant's brother lost his arm. This did not occur in the hotel at all, but two streets away* from it. —The case was then adjourned for a fortnight, on the application of Mr. George. >..