LICENSING COMMITTEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16268, 29 June 1916, Page 4

LICENSING COMMITTEE.

QUEENS FERRY HOTEL.

As adjourned meeting of the Auckland Licensing Committee was held yesterday. Mr. E. C- Cut-ten, S.M., presiding. The following members of the committee were present:—Messrs. L. J. Bagnall, J. Trethick, and Dr. F. King. The business before the meeting had reference to the renewal of the license of the Queen's Ferry Hotel to Mr. A. E. Farrow. Mr. M. G. McGregor, for the owner, said the license had been taken over temporarily by Mr. Lindsay Cooke. Sub-Inspector McDveney said he knew nothing of that. Throughout the proceedings the inspector of licensed premises seemed to have been ignored. Formal objection had been made to the renewal of the license, one reason being that the premises were not in accordance with section 76 of the Act.

Mr. Cutten said he did not know how the sub-inspector had been ignored, as the matter of granting of a certificate of fitness in respect of Mr. Lindsay Cooke must have been referred to the police before the license could have been temporarily transferred.

The Sub-Inspector said that the subsequent proceedings for a temporary transfer following upon the certificate of fitness had not been notified to the police. He did not know who was in control of the hotel at the present, because when he visited the premises that morning he found the former licensee apparently still in control. Mr. Cooke was competent to hold the license, but, being a widower, there was a question as to who was to be manageress. Mr. Durham said the application for the renewal of the license to Mr- Farrow was made conditionally upon it being transferred to Mr. Cooke.

Mr. Cutten observed that it was nobody's business to notify the sub-inspector of the proceeding?. The Sub-Inspector : I do not think it is more than an oversight. Mr. Cutten said the pol'ce report respecting Mr. Cooke was so satisfactory that the sub-inspector might almost have assumed that it would be granted. The committee did not see its way to refuse the license just because Mr- Cooke was not a married man. The Sub-Inspector said it behoved those interested in the property to see that the place was properly managed. Mr- McGregor said there had been not intention to ignore the sub-inspector. It had been thought that the sub-inspector was cognisant of all the proceedings, because everything went through the police office- The sub-inspector's remarks respecting management were appreciated. The application for the renewal of the license was granted on the understanding that the hotel be conducted by the holder of the temporary transfer. Mr. Cutten pointed out that the license could not be transferred until the next quarterly meeting. ___________________