A LICENSING APPLICATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9998, 15 June 1918, Page 7

A LICENSING APPLICATION

CURIOUS CASE AT OPOTIKI. Press Association. OPOTIKI, June 14. When an application for an accommodation license for Taneatua tillage, inland from Wbakatane, came before the Bay of Plenty Licensing Committee, Mr Elliott, on behalf of applicants, applied for an adjournment in order to wait and see if a license lapsed elsewhere, thus enabling the committee to grant the license at Taneatua. •Tie adjournment -was opposed by Mr Chalmers on behalf of the opposing memorialists of Taneatua and Wai* mana districts, including Maoris. Mr Chalmers declared that there was no reason advanced for the adjournment except that, the committee should speculate whether there would be a lapse. His witnesses were ready to proceed. Mr Selwyn Mays, of Auckland, for the police, said the point at irsuo probably was the most important any licensing committee had had to deal with for years. If an adjournment were granted it could be only on the following conclusions: Either the members of the committee were deficient mentally or there had been collusion. If a majority of the committee resolved to grant an adjournment solely for the purpose of dropping a license, that majority rirast take the : ' conseqnen<!e3. They would hare "excee3ed their powers' and the lease must go before the Supreme Court. Mr Mays then called evidence to show that he was ready to go on with the case. In reply to a question Mr Elliott also •aM he was ready to proceed. After retirement the chairman announced that the committee had decided togrant an adjournment by a majority of four to two. Mr Mays asked for Costs, but was refused.