THE QUAY STREET LICENSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19349, 9 June 1926, Page 11

THE QUAY STREET LICENSE.

Sir,—The thanks of the citizens are due to you for your outspoken comment on the amazing decision of the City Licensing Committee, to permit the Bale o£ intoxicating liquor on the waterfront. It can only Ho characterised as a flagrant abuse of public trust. The committee was returned •with" a mandate from the electors to rofoso this license. That was the ! only issue raised in connection with the election, and the.members were ■' fully awaro thai they wore elected on the distinct understanding that they would stand by their previous • decision. There has been no change in conditions On the waterfront that can justify the com* mittee in-reversing its decision that s license was not required in the neighbourhood. The members had a public duty to perform on behalf of the citizens, and they have deliberately violated the confidence reposed in them- Surely, in such a case, the citizens are entitled to soma redress. If no other way is open, then Parliament should be asked to revoke a charter that should not have, been bestowed. Attention should bo called to the absence of Mr. Thompson. He was fully aware ot the importance of tho meeting and that there was likely to be a division of opinion., His duty to tho electors therefore demanded that he should be present to exercise his vote. Further, when the, election of the committee . was . pending," Mr, Thompson approached the New Zealand Alliance and sought; its 'support lor the members of the" old committee. He stated that an attempt was being rnade to obtain a license" for the Quay Street hotel by, securing the election of men who were favourable to the project, and that only one member of the old'committee was in favour of the Quay Street license. Mr. Thompson may be able to give a satisfactory explanation for his absence, but; it must be one that will outweigh the importance of his obvious duty to attend the sitting of thv Licensing Committee. Locis E. Falkner.