THE LICENSING BENCH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 11

THE LICENSING BENCH.

——♦ j OTAKI. Tho Otaki Licensing Committeo mot last week, Mr 11. W. Brabant, S.M., prosiding. With regard to the Junction Hotel, Sandon (David Lang, licensee), tho police said certain improvements were required. An assurance was given that they would be carried out. In the case of the Pahautanui Hotel, the police report alleged that tho applicant, John Pinkorton, had. refused to supply a man with drink. It was complained by the police that the Post Office Hotel at Poxton had been conducted ia a careless manner. Tho appliI cant, James Mitchell, said ho had been in possession only a month. Constable Gillespie testified to tho care shown by the present applicant. Exception was taken that certain improvements were required at the Junction Hotel, Sandon. The license of Mrs Broadbent's Club Hotel, at Shannon, was granted, subject to tho condition that tho improvements required shall be completed by tho 30th inst. The applications of D. Lang, Junction Hotel, Sandon, and J. Mitchell, Post Office Hotel, Foxton, have also been granted upon these terms. All other licenses wero granted. The Waipawa Licensing Committee have decided that the salary of tho licensing clerk, Mr Tansley, be .£25 per annum ; that all publichouses close at 10 o'clock p.m. ; that hotel street lights bo kept lighted until midnight; and that no special licenses bo granted for races and sports. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercargill, June 7. The Invercargill Licensing Committee held an adjourned meeting to-day regarding the seven houses for which licenses were previously refused. Very strong evidence of the usefulness of three—the Prince of Wales, Union, and Supreme Court Hotels —was given. The Committee have received notice that a mandamus to compel them to issue a license to tho Stag's Head will be sought from the Supremo Court next week. The Committeo further adjourned the meeting till tho 18th inst. It is popularly supposed that their intention is first to ascertain what the Supreme Court will do in the matter of the mandamus. Nelson, June 7. At the city licensing meeting to-day, all existing licenses wore renewed. Eleven o'clock extensions were granted in the town, and where applied for at Richmond and Brightwater. Dunedin, June 7. Tho Taieri Committee adjourned seven publicans' licenses, three of which will be refused. Dunedin, June 8. At the Clutha licensing meeting, Mr i Hawkins, S.M., said he had been anxious that tho Committee should deal wiih applications. The applicants, however, had definitely refused to go before the Committee, and after careful consideration he thought they were justified. The resolution of tho elected members not to grant any applications even after he had pointed out to the members that they would have to exercise a judicial discretion was fatal to the possibility of assuming that the Committee would carry out tho law. Ko pointed out that section 11 was remarkable, as it avowed the principle that persons charged with judicial functions and discretion yet might be pure delegates of the majority of the electors, and deprived by pledges of any judicial discretion whatever. This was a warning of what might happen to the judicial Bench if once it became the creature of electoral majorities. He said he know he incurred serious responsibility in making these remarks, but with this section before him, and occupying the position he did, he felt that silence would be crime. After quoting Justice Richmond's judgment in Isitt v. Taylor, he said he proposed to hear every applicant and decide to the best of his ability in accordance with the law as expounded by tho highest Court in the Colony. | Christchurch, June 7. 1 The Lyttelton Licensing Committee today gave notice of its intention to refuse licenses to the Railway, Cambridge, and Crown Hotels. All other applications were granted. Extension till 11 o'clock was granted to hotels in the town of Lyttelton only. Havelock, June 7. At the annual meeting of the Waimea Sounds Licensing Committee, the application of D. McLeod for a license at Wakefield was refused, and the Commitee meets again on the 29th to consider an application by a new tenant. Palmerston North, June 8. At the annual meeting of the Palmerston Licensing Committee ail applications for renewal were granted, but in almost every case conditions as to improvements and renovations were imposed. Regarding the applications of George Blackler for the Avondalo Hotel, and Edwin Fisher for the Commercial Hotel, both in the Palmerston borough, the Committee declined to grant the proposed transfers for personal reasons. Eleven o'clock extensions were granted in the cases of the hotels in the Square only. The Chairman called tho attention of the police to the necessity for better inspection and for more active means being taken to suppress selling after hours. Westport, June 8. The Buller Licensing Committee granted all renewals of publicans', accommodation, and bottle licenses, and granted 11 o'clock licenses wherever applied for. Hawera, June 8. At the meeting of the Patea Licensing Bench at Hawera to-day, all renewals of publicans' and accommodation licenses were granted, and 11 o'clock licenses granted to hotels in the Boroughs of Patea and Hawera.

By Telegraph. — Own Correspondent. Masterton, June 8. The annual meeting of the Masterton Licensing Committee commenced to-day. So far only the Forty Mile Bush cases have been dealt with, and no decisions have been given. At a meeting of the Masterton publicans to-day an agreement was signed that no liquor should on any account bo sold on the Sabbath Day. Masterton, June 9. The sitting of the Masterton Licensing Bench was concluded this evening. The Committee announced that all licenses would be granted (to closo at 10 o'clock) with the exception of that of tho Marine Hotel, Whakataki, which was adjourned for a fortnight. In most cases it was stipulated that improvements, in the shape of fire escapes, &0., must bo effected. The license for tho Star Hotel was granted on condition that a transfer is applied for at the next quarterly meeting. Palmerston North, June 11, The Standard says:—" We are at loss to understand by what process of reasoning the Licensing Committeo saw fit to make tho distinction they have between tho hotels in Palmerston Borough. If it was deemed expedient to give an extension to 11 o'clock, then it was but fair and right that all should bo treated alike. It was distinctly unfair to make fish of one and fowl of another." By Telegraph. — Press Association. Masterton, June 9. At the meeting of the Masterton Licensing Committeo to-day, conditions were imposed in certain cases, tho most important being that the Star Hotel change hands within three month, and that the Pahiatua Club, now held at the Club Hotel, be closed before next quarterly meeting. Palmerston North, June 11. The objection taken to tho transfer of tho license of tho Commercial Hotel to Edwin Fisher was tho absence of tho Magistrate's certificate, which has to bo procured from tho South Island.