OUR LICENSING COMMISSIONERS.
[To the Editor, qf the Hebaltk]
Sir,— l wish to draw the attention of the public to the arbitrary decision of the above Commissioners in refusing a reduction of the license fee to some of the outside hotels, or more properly speaking houses of accommodation. It seems to me, and to a great many others, that the discretionary power they have is not very judiciously used. It would be well if our worthy Commissioners, and the Chairman in particular, would take a leaf out of the Waikato Licensing Commissioners' Book, as there I see they reduced the fees in Alexandra and the Railway Hotel at Hamilton to £15 ;and why is this ? Simply the houses are required, but the business done does not warrant the full fee of £40 being charged. It seems perfecty absurd to grind the poor men down in this way, as there is no class in the community who have more to put up with, work longer hours, and have less protection from the laws we live under than hotel- keepers. Just imagine the same fee being charged for the Ferry Hotel* at Tolago and Big River, the Bridge and Murawai Hotels, as are charged for first-class hotels in Gisborne ; when at the present time, and during the winter months of the year they do not take as much over the counter in ciish as would pay for the milk and butter they use, and yet our worthy Commissioners frequently pass these places and know all this, any yet would not listen to a petition showing that these houses, and many others who |do not ask for a reduction, are actually wanted, but from the prohibitory fyec £40, the houses will be closed up, and owwers of property who have vested interest in these hotels suffers as much as the men who are trying to make an honeat living, and the travelling public. It simply means driving people out of the district who have been struggling for years to earn a living and rear their families without being a drag on the benevolent institutions of the country.
I am, &c, Tbavellek.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH18810620.2.13.1
Bibliographic details
Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1351, 20 June 1881, Page 2
Word Count
358OUR LICENSING COMMISSIONERS. Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1351, 20 June 1881, Page 2
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