CITY LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12601, 3 March 1903, Page 2

CITY LICENSING COMMITTEE.

| *- SHAMROCK HOTEL LICENSE THAKSFEEZED TO THE AUSTKAIASIAN. , ! The quarterly meeting of the City Licensing Committee wak held , in ,tho City Police Coiirt , yesterday o,t noon, (here being present—Mr C. C. Graham, S.M. (cheirman), Messrs A. Judge, S. S.' Myers, C. R. Chapman, and the lions. D. j Pinkerton and H. Gourlcy. ■ ■• The only business brought before the com- j mitt«e was an application from William John • CougMan for the removal of the license, of the Shamrock Hotel to the Australasian Hotel. Mr Sim (with him Mr O'Shea) appeared m support of the application. Tho Chairman said they were all awaro of the circumstances— namely, that the old license of the Australasian Hotel had been forfeited . owing to the licensee being absent without leave for more thart 14 days. The case had been brought beforo the committee, and the ■ license was ordered to be forfeited; and as the Australasian Hotel was an unoccupied house, Mr Coughlau now made application for the removal of tho license. Mr Sim snid the act required- that cortain conditions should be complied with, and he proposed to call some evidence in order that tho act might be complied, with. It was necessary that both houses should not bo more than a quarter of a mile apart, and that they should be in tho same ward. A survey had been- made, nnd, taking the extreme point from one building to another, tho distance was not more than U chains between them, and tho limit was 2" chains. ' The Chairman said it was for the committee ;y whether they were satisfied within their : • .i knowledge en. these two points, and then i intimated that the' committee was satisfied. Mr Sim said the freeholds™ did not consent to the removiil of the license, but they did not object to it. The Chairman: Well, we want some evidence of that. Hγ Sii'i faid ho had correspondence in connection \..\h Ihs niaitor. Speight and Co. had ' a lease of Hie premises, nnd the property , belonged to the Church Board, who did not formally object, and did not oppose the application; as a mutter of tact, (hey iirui b«n desirous o! terminating the tenancy as soon : as possible. Mr Sim than read tho correspond- . er.es between tho parties, showing that the bawd had somewhat reluctantly agreed io an j extension ot the license to the present month, ! r.v.d that they v:o;ild be only too glue! to get j . the premises riosctl as n licensed lienw. The . consent of Speight and Co. was a-lsa put in, ' and Mr Sim (continuing) aaid tho correspond- ! enec showed the position taken np , by the j , Church Board. Although they did not wish i [ to come before tho committee and bs a party to the transfer, they did not. oppose it. ! The Chairman said there were no objections, and tho police report was that the building (the Australasian Hotel) was in fair repair. Tho application would be granted. j Mr Sim, referring to the time at which the ! transfer tool; effect, said from the very moment of tho endorsement of the license, selling at I ihe. Shamrock would ceaee and selling at the I Australasian bpgin. The. Hon. Mr Pinkrrton rose to move a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Graham, as it was I the committee's last mooting. The committee ' ; had been together for some time, aud had ; worked with tho greatest harmony, and tho members grateiully remembered that their was largely due to the able way Mr Graham had acted as chairman, and the help he had given in explaining the legal questions : : that had arisen. • I Mr O'Shea, as the only membsr of tho bar present, said he would like to second the motion and to endorse Mr Pinkerton's re- ' marks. j The members of the committee having ' ' assented to tho motion, Mt Graham briefly ' expressed hi 3 appreciation of the compliment paid him, and the sitting concluded. = _ • I