CITY LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 36

CITY LICENSING COMMITTEE.

ANNUAL SITTING. The annual sitting of the City Licensing Committee was held on Monday at midday, there being on tho Bench Mosers 11. Y. Widdowson, S.M. (chairman), I. Green, J. Carroll, J. Wren, W. Belcher, and. G. Ritchie. The Chairman, in his preliminary remarks, said that tho report presented by tne police .showed that the whole of the hotels in the district had been well conducted during the past year. Two licensees had been convicted, but the offences had not been sufficiently grave to carry an endorsement on the licenses. There wore several matters to bo attended to in regard to hotel buildings, but these would be dealt with as the cases came up. TRANSFER. A transfer of the license of the A ictoria Hotel, Dunedin, from John Treacy to Margaret Bastings was granted, Mr ■ Duncan appearing in support of the application. new applications for old houses. Applications for licenses for Tattcrsalls Hotel, Dunedin, and the Victoria Hotel, Dunedin, were granted, tho applicants being respectively Charles Henry Taylor and Margaret Bastings. Counsel appearing wore Messrs Lang and Duncan. An application by Rose Gunn for a license ’or the Commercial Hotel, Green Island, was supported by Mr Irwin. Tho Chairman said that this hotel would have to be repaired. Copies of reports by the health officer and the police had already been supplied. Ho (the chairman) understood that the landlord admitted that the older portion of the hotel must be gulled down, as it was beyond repair. With regard to the newer portion, as far as tho committee was concernedI—though 1 —though it was of the opinion that tho whole place ought to be pulled down, and as a matter of i fact it would bo tho cheaper method to adopt—certain repairs would have to be carried out. Some of the windows required new sills, there were some leaks, and tho whole of the upstairs floor would have to come up. Tho outside conveniences would have to be pulled down, and new ones built, and a new drain would have to be put in at tho back. Mr F. Duncan, who appeared for tho owner, said that that gentleman (Mr Shand) was seriously ill in the hospital, and they were unable to communicate with him. Mr Wales (architect) had discussed tho matter with the sub-inspector of police, and ho (Mr Duncan) would put him in the box to say what could bo done in the matter. The position of the hotel was such that if it was pulled down and another built in its place, it would moan placing a first-class hotel in a district where it was not needed. The Chairman: I don’t know that you could call, it a first-class hotel. Mr Duncan said that to pull down tho one storey would run into £4OO, but if the alterations wore carried cut he understood the building would be such as would meet the requirements of the committee- for an hotel for the district. The Chairman replied that as far as the committee was concerned it was required that the old portion would have to bo pulled down and rebuilt, and a portion of the new part of the building would have to be repaired. There were certain leaks on the southern side that would have to be remedied, and the whole floor upstairs would have to come up. Then there was tho convenience and tho drain at the back. Mr Duncan; That is allowing for a curtailment of certain of the upper rooms. The Chairman: That is between you and the landlord. Mr Duncan said that assuming tho requirements were carried out it would leave fewer bedrooms upstairs. The Chairman said the committee did not adopt the plan produced, but was personally of the opinion that it would be better to have the whole building pulled down, and a new one put up. Sub-inspector Broberg said that he sugX Rested that the place pulled down be replaced with a two-storey building. Bv that means the accommodation would not bo curtailed. He did not suggest that the bedrooms should be reduced from four to two. The Chairman said that anv rate plans and specifications would have to be submitted to the committee, and the application would stand over for three months. In the meantime the license would be extended. RENEWALS. The following renewals of license were granted without comment:—Henry Thomas Andrews, Prince of Wales; Walter Bluster!, Wain’s; Thomas Grace, Metropolitan (Mr Brugh); W r alter Digby Wyatt, Bowling Green John Watson, Commercial; Daniel Galvin, Empire; James Murphy, Criterion (Mr Irwin); John Millar, Oban (Mr Brent); Michael Fenton, Kensington: Annie Ainge, Grand (Mr Stephens); Joseph • Fitzwilliam Mills, Wharf (Mr Hanlon); John Morrison, European; Sydney James Thomas Branson, Branson’s; Roderick Mackenzie, Excelsior (Mr Lang); Alexander Stewart, Law Courts (Mr Lang); Cecil Harry Street, Provincial (Mr Lang); Samuel Wilson Gcddcs, Gridiron (Mr Lang); John Sweeney, Terminus (Mr Lang); Wm. John Goughian, Crown (Mr Hay); Michael Kean, Green Island. With regard to an application for a renewal of the license of the Captain Cook Hotel by William Henry Ward, for whom Mr Lang appeared, the Chairman said that in the case of this and five other hotels tho committee had requested some time ago that the bars should have extended to them a hot water supply. This hotel was one of those that had not complied with that request. The committee did not intend to take any exception to the non-compliance, but the committee expected that tho request would bo given effect to. The application would be granted. Tho other cases were apparently the following Oriental Hotel, applicant Thomas James Grant,; Southern Hotel, applicant Alfred Walter Brown, represented by Mr Nichol; Royal Albert Hotel, applicant Eliza Cahill, represented by Mr Lang; Farmers’ Arms Hotel, applicant Hannah Race, represented by Mr Lang; Gladstone Hotel, applicant John Collins, represented by Mr Lang; Shamrock Hotel, applicant Charles Burrell (Mr Lang). These applications were 'Jso granted. *

In the case of the Caledonian Hotel (applicant, James Barclay, for whom Mr Stephens appeared). Sub-inspector Broberg said that lie understood that certain necessary work bad been started that day. The necessarv material was there, and ho had no doubt the repairs would be carried out as recommended. The work had been delayed owing to show week. The Chairman said the case would _ be adjourned till the 28th mst. to allow time to effect the renaira.

In the case of the Robert Burns Hotel,’a renewal of the license was sought by Edward Chilcott. —Sub-inspector Broberg stated that certain requirements were well under w ay. Application g ran tc d. As to the Ncrmanby Hotel (applicant, John Martin, for whom Mr L ang appeared), the Chairman said certain requirements had not been complied with. —Mr Lang: I was unaware of it. —The Chairman: The fire escapes. Tiio case will be adjourned till the 28th inst. William Andrew Woods applied for a renewal of the license of the Citv Hotel— Mr H anion supported the application. The Chairman asked the police if the conveniences had been fixed up, to which Subinspector Broberg replied “ Not yet.” Mr Hanlon pointed out that the work would involve considerable outlay, and that tho Drainage Board might make such demands that the entire system would have to bo altered. He submitted that it would bo a great hardship if tho licensee was compelled to go to an expense of £IOO to bring the closets up to date. The,Chairman remarked that from the report of tho Health Officer there wore two defective traps. Mr Hanlon; Well, of course, that is by the Health Office, and they can detect a srnoll anywhere so far as I can make out. The Chairman; Yes, but they arc defectively trapped. After some further discussion, tho Health Officer was called to give evidence. Tho outcome was that the Chairman said ; Then they only want the, closets replaced by others, and connected with tho same pipe? Witness: Yes. Tho Chairman; Well, that will not bo very much. The case will bo adjourned till the 28th inst. WHOLESALE LICENSES. The following wholesale licenses wore granted : Mackerras and Hazlett, Sow Hoy, W. Seoular and Co., Dalgety and Co.. R. Wilson and Co. (Limited). J. Rattray and Son, Jessie Thomson, National Mortgage and Agency Company, Milne Eremner, John M'Farlanc, Harty and Co.. Murray. Roberts and Co.. Rowley and Co., Neill and Co., George Lyon Donniston, and F. Mecnan and Co.