LICENSING PUBLICAN'S BOOTH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume X, Issue 2035, 15 November 1883, Page 2

LICENSING PUBLICAN'S BOOTH.

[To the, Editor of tius Herald.] Sir, — Mr. W. Cooper's letter charges the Chairman of the Licensing Committee with having Bhown partiality to the hotel-keepers who had the booths at the sports recently held at Makaraka, and, in justice to the Committee, it is but fair that the public should know the facts. When the Chairman signed the certificate granting Mr. Francis a license, he qualified his assent with the words, "subject to the approval of the Licensing Bench." The certificate was then signed by another member of the Committee, and presented to the County Treasurer, who was not acquainted with the compact that the police sergeant should control the Committee on the subject of issuing conditional licenses, and therefore issued the license. Doubtless, the Chairman meant " subject to the approval of the Inspector," and therefore a clerical error on his part has been the means of Mr. Cooper feeling himself unfairly treated. . It is, however, a sad commentary upon horse-racing to find that because a publican's booth could not be opened on a racecourse therefore the whole thing must drop through, for, if horse-racing had no better recommendation than a large sale of intoxicants, its continuance as an English sport would long uince have been imperilled. — I am, &c, Av*l-HUMBUG.