LICENSING COURT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1242, 18 September 1875, Page 5

LICENSING COURT.

Tuesday, Bth September.

(Before J. Bathgate, Esq., R.M., Chairman ; A. C. Strode, Esq., R.M., and AY. Mason, Esq., J.P.)

PUBLICANS' NIGHT LICENSES. Applications from the following persons for night licenses were granted : — Moss Moss, Ship Inn ; Edward Lyons, Union Hotel ; Henry Walker, Red Lion ; W. H. Haydon, Imperial; John Sibbald, Provincial: W. E. Couzens, London ; Thomas Hancock, Queen's Arms ; John Paterson, Royal Hotel ; J. D. Hutton, Caledonian ; John M'Kay, Golden Age ; D. Black, Gridiron ; Thomas Campbell, Crown ; George Dodson, Empire ; A. T. Dunning, Dunning's Hotel ; Thomas Hetherington, Shamrock ; James Patterson, Australasian ; John Donaldson, Glasgow Pie House ; John Scott, Oriental; H. J. Walter, Occidental; James Watson, Watson's Hotel ; Louis tiggrt, Otago ; Godfrey Jacobs, Bull and Mouth ; Fred. Bayley, Bayley's Hotel ; Charles Woodley, Scandinavian ; P. Barker Criterion ;J. F. Jones, Wain's Hotel ; John Aikman, Glasgow Anns ; Henry Williamson, Prince Alfred ; John Faulkner, Rainbow ; John Carroll, Hibernian ; F. Keligher, European ;J. Mills, National ; Thos. Liuklater, York; Geo. M'Gavin, White Horse; Thos. Oliver, Sussex ; Patrick (Jotter, Caledonia ; John Buck, Captain Cook ; John Hardie, North Dnnedin ; D. White, Queen's ; D. AuM, Royal ; J. A. M. Richmond, Scotia ; Nicholas Maloney, Forbury. Mr Haggitt appeared in support of James Cumming's application for a night license for the Prince of Wales HoteL The Commissioner of Police said the applicant had had a night license before, and the house was tolerably well kept — better than it was. On the Commissioner recommending that the applicant should have another chance, the license was granted. Similar applications on behalf of Thomas Pavletich, Universal Hotel, and B. Davies, Albion Hotel, were supported by Mr Haggitt. He contended that as the Court was sitting under a new Ordinance for the first time the applicants should not be compelled to give the fnll notice required by law. Under the Provincial Ordinance only 12 days' notice was necessary, and jon tins occasion the applicants had given 18 days' notice. — The Chairman said the Court must be guided by the law. It was better that these applicants should suffer a little inconvenience than that a loose system of conducting the business of the Court should be introduced. The Court had no power, and they declined receiving auy applications not lodged in time. The licenses were therefore refused.

TRANSFER OF PUDLICAXS 1 LICENSES.

The application to transfer the London Tavern, Walker street, from Ephraim Machin to Wm. Insley was supported by Mr Lewis. — The Chairman said it was well known to every Magistrate in Dunedin that this house was situated upon the borders of a great social cancer. The license would be granted, with this remark — if the Commissioner of Police found that impropriety was being carried on, the Court would at once withdraw the license.

The following transfers were granted : — Royal George Hotel, M. CuthberteontoThoa. O'Donneli; Carriers' Arms. Patrick Fagan to new house at the copier of Anderson « Bay Road and Princes street; Argyle Hotel, Kaikorai Valley, Louis Marshall to Daniel Matheson ; Kaikorai Hill Hotel, Wm. Dawsou to George Prescott.

BOTTLE LICENSE:--.

James Russell's application for a bottle license in Leith Ward was siipported by Mr A. Batbgate. Their Worships retired for a short time to discuss their authority to grant new bottle licenses at other than the June session of the Court. On resuming, the Chairman said that in regard to these new applications for bottle licenses the Court had had the matter under consideration. They had gone over the point very carefully, and they had come to the conclusion — although he might say not without some hesitation — that they had no power to grant new licenses at this Court ; that all new applications must be made in terms of the 13th section of the Act at the quarterly meeting to be held in June. The Court were of opinion that it was the clear intention of the Statute that all applications for new licenses were to be made on one day only, in ordijft that 'parties objecting might be fully aware "^ereof. And further, that the Act itself was not in favour of bottle licenses. The Court had no power to grant new bottle licenses at this meeting. The fair and legitimate interpretation of the 13th section was that the application should be either for a house that had a current license or the utmost they could stretch it to — to give the privilege to an applicant who had a license and allowed it to lapse by inadvertence through notputting in his application at the preceding Court. The following applicants, having previously allowed their licenses to lapse through oversight, were granted new bottle licenses :— John Dune, Wnj, Harrold, and .Thomas Hastie.

COMPI-AISTS OF THE POLICE.

The Commissioner of Police said he deemed it his duty to bring under their Worships' notice the conduct of several licensees : — Patrick O'Brien, Munster Arms Hotel ; Thomas Hancock, Queen'd Arms; Thos. Pavletich, Universal Hotel; Tfcoa. Campbell, Crown Hotel ; and Thos. Oliver, Sussex HoteL Mr Haggitt appeared rfor O'Brien, and Mr Harris for Oliver. The Chairman administered cautions. The Court adjourned.