THE NEW CRITERION.

NZ Truth, Issue 119, 28 September 1907, Page 4

THE NEW CRITERION.

THE LAST OF THE GREENS. Transfer of License Allowed. Entering the Realms of Respectability.

Having; decided that Mrs Green or her husband, who is only a side issue m the aEair, anyhow, were, not fit and proper persons to conduct a respectable sort of pub, the Chris tchurch Licensing Committee, which of late have been enquiring into the conduct of the New Criterion Hotel, and last Wednesday week said with much emphasis that the swankey establishment had been conducted on the level of a low bawdy house, and that everybody connected with ib sot "hopped" or "chammed" on the least provocation, and then adjourned the matter for a week to see how the innocent parties m the matter stood, ended the matter on Wednesday afternoon last, when the injured innocents were fully considered, and the chairman of the bench reiterated the opinion, which is the opinion of every bod/, that the ioint had been improperly managed. Having come to that conclusion, the Committee had to consider whether the circumstances disclosed m the evidence brought the house within Clause 76 of the Act. It was decided, therefore by a majority, that the people interested should be allowed to say what they proposed to do. The license ceased that day, and Mr Russell, who appeared for Manning and Co., interjected, that Green and his wife, or the wife and Green would CEASE TO OCCUPY THE PUB after three o'clock that day.

Mr Russell further intimated that all the females employed m the house would leave "the same day. and that the new licensee (Mr McCartney) intended to employ only three barmaids, two only to he on duty at one time.

Belief was next entertained, or the hof* entertained, that the new licensee would conduct the New Criterion on next to V.M.C.A. lines, and that everything would be blooming m the hon garden for ever and afterwards. McCartney e"ot a permit to carry on the pub> The chairman said the innocent as well as others came out of the ordeal pretty well.

Anyhow, that ends the New Criterion so far as the Greens arc concerned. What the pair intend to <lo m future nobody knows, p<? r haps they have got their eyes on something or other, anyhow, pub-keeping won't be m their line.

The result of this case is regarded m Christchurch as a great victory for "Truth." because one thing is tolerably certain, that had it not been for the red-hot article which appeared m "Truth's" columns, ami which left no doubt that it was the New Criterion that was concerned, nobody would have thought it worth while to inouire into the management of the "Cri."

THE GREENS HAVE GONE. and no -more will the cham corks pop. no more will giddy, guileless girls giggle and kid to mugs to buy them cham. and no more, it is to be hoped will a pub like the Cri. be converted into a low-down brothel. That is the: last phase of the Criterion Hotel. Like New Zealand, it has entered into a new era. and a respectable one everybody hopes.