CITY LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19200, 17 June 1924, Page 8

CITY LICENSING COMMITTEE.

AD-TOUENED ANNUAL MEETING. UPSTAIRS BARS PROHIBITED. The adjourned annual meeting of the City Licensing ‘ Committee was held at noon yesterday, and was attended by Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M. (chairman), W. King, J. Carroll, F. E. Hilliker, and A. J. IN’ ichol. GRAND HOTEL. In supporting an application by Duncan F. Wark for a license for the Grand Hotel, Mr Payne said ho understood that all the requirements had now been complied with. The Chairman said the committee had considered the matter of the fire escapes in the Grand Hotel, and had decided that in an important hotel of that type the escapes were not satisfactory, and that before the next annual meeting the hotel would require.to be properly supplied with external fire escapes on the Princes and High street frontages. Mr Payne said the present lease would expire in a few days, but he understood that considerable improvements were contemplated. He would inform the proprietor regarding the requirements of the committee. The Chairman said there was the question of an upstairs bar in this hotel. The committee had been considering this matter, and had insisted on a considerable alteration in another hotel. The committee was entirely opposed to upstairs bars. These were a recent innovation, and were not found in the leading hotels elsewhere in New Zealand. What would be approved of would be a service room, where liquor for the guests would be handed out but not consumed there. It had been stated that an upstairs bar had been installed in the Grand Hotel recently. Mr Payne said he had convened that information to the people who would take charge. The Chairman said the committee had expressed its view, and expected that its demands would be carried out. The license would be granted. The committee intended to "Ct a report from the police concerning all hotels so far as upstairs bars were concerned. RUGBY HOTEL. An application by Percival Vere Stevens for a renewal of the license of the Rugby Hotel was supported by Mr Aspinall. The Chairman said there was a report regarding fire escapes. r i'h«' report stated that a guard rail for the top ladder on the frontal fire escape was considered necessary. Where it had been found advisable to suggest an addition to outside fire escapes it had been made very clear that the old type of upright ladder would no longer bo permitted, and it was hoped that a sample of a ladder way which might bo taken a s a standard for future fire escapes would be put before the committee The Chairman stated that the committee had inspected a sample of the new type of ladder, and it would recommend an inspection by all who were interested. In the case of reconstruction, alterations, or new buildings this type would be insisted on by the committee. Mr’ Aspinall said the committee’s requirements were being carried out, and he would give an undertaking that everything would be attended to. The license was granted. GLADSTONE HOTEL. Mr Hay appeared in support of an application for a renewal of H. W. Winter’s license for the Gladstone Hotel. The Chairman stated that the license would be granted, but the committee wished to stress the need for a very strict compliance with the law, and trusted that the licensee would see that this matter was attended to. The police would be asked to keep a strict watch on the hotel to see if there were any breach of the law, FARMERS’ ARMS HOTEL. Mr A. G. Neill supported an application for a renewal of Matthew Henry Richards’s license for the Farmers’ Arms Hotel. The report bySuporintcndent Napier (Fire Brigade) and Mr Lawrie (assistant city building inspector) was as follows;—“We consider the means of exit to be scarcely sufficient for requirements, but hesitate to condemn the premises. It is suggested that the hotel he granted a renewal of the license on the following undertaking being entered into: That the licensee undertakes to keep a substantial approved ladder in the private yard on the wooden side of the premises, such ladder to be firmly fixed in position against one bedroom window, such bedroom not to be capable of being locked, this concession only holding good until such time as the premises are reconstructed or until the next application for re-license, when a substantial fire escape on the wooden frontage will have to be an accomplished work. Mr Neill said there was every possibility of rebuilding. Half of the house was constructed of stone. The provision of the ladder as required would he attended to. The license was granted. EXCELSIOR HOTEL William Quirk’s application for a renewal of the license of the Excelsior Hotel was supported by Mr Lang. Mr Bartholomew said this was an hotel in which there was one of those undesirable upstairs bars. This hotel would have to fall into lino with the others Mr Lang said that recent alterations made :’t almost impossible to serve the guests—probably 50 or GO—from the bar downstairs. %Ir Bartholomew said that what (he committee objected to was anything in the nature of a bar with facilities for the consumption of liquor. It did not object to a service room, where liquor could he served out. The committee would not hold up tho license at present, but it expected that its requirements would bo completely carried out CITY HOTEL. Mr W. L. Moore appeared in support ol Louis Francis M'Cormick’s application for a renewal of the license of the City Hotel. Mr Bartholomew said this was the ease in which tho question of a private bar had cropped up. The builder who was carrying out the alterations had explained what was being done. Would an undertaking bo given that »he alterations would be carried out Mr Moore said ho would give such an undertaking. He stated that since the last meeting of the com mi I tee the licensee had not used the upstairs bar as a bar. Mr Bartholomew said the committee wished the police to give particular attention to this matter,, and to furnish a report on all hotels at the next quarterly meeting in order to show whether the requirements were being carried out. 'The license was granted. CROWN HOTEL. John Richardson’s application for a renewal of the license for the Crown Hotel was granted, hut the Chairman intimated that, the licensee might be called upon to piovidc additional facilities in tho way of fire escapes in the future. •• METROPOLITAN HOTEL. When John Hope’s application for a renewal of the license for the Metropolitan tfotcl came before the committee the Chairman said there was a complaint that obsltnotion? had been placed on the fire escape. Particular care must bo taken to see that no obstructions were placed there. If adequate facilities were not provided (ho license would be liable to forfeiture. The license would he granted, but (ho licensee might he called upon to provide additional facilities in the way of fire escapes in the future. OTHER LICENSES. The following licenses wore granted, the icports regarding the fire escapes being satisfactory: —• Matthew Henry Dawson, Parksido llotol; William HefTornnn, South Dunedin Hotel: Annie Ainge, European Hotel; James M'Kondry, Branson's Hotel; John Watson, Commercial Hotel; Margaret Mills, Wharf Hotel; Annie Blancy, Tattcrsall’s Hotel; John Joseph Carter, Empire Hotel, Sarah Lanrcnson. Royal Albert Hotel; Charles Hinchclift', Prince of Wales Hotel; Margaret Murphy, Criterion Hotel; John . Henrv Treacy, Captain Cook Hotel; Alfred Walter Brown, Gridiron Hotel ; Jessie Cnttannch, Normanby Hotel; James William Young. Robert Burns Hotel ; Charles Burrell. Shamrock Hotel; Thomas Henrv Cahill. Oriental llotol. ArPuir Albert Paape, Oban Hotel; John Alfred Griggs. Victoria Hotel; John Morrison, Terminus Hotel. PACKET LICENSE. A packet license for tho s.s. Moeraki was granted. LIGHTING EXEMPTIONS. Tho exemptions in regard to lighting were allowed as previously.