WAIAPU LICENSING BENCH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9840, 5 September 1903, Page 3

WAIAPU LICENSING BENCH.

QUARTERLY MEETING. wS'LIT I^ m€6tin S of the above Mr S yt ' s^y «* n «°n. Present: Mi .Barton, S.M. (chairman), Mrs Siev"•righfc, Messrs D. Hepburn alid C. Gmy A transfer was granted to the ThtaReginald Stapylton Gaulton. _A temporary transfer of the Tiniroto Hotel from James Henry Harvev to Alexander Robinson Afclntyre was granted. POLICE REPORTS. Sergeant Siddells reported that with the exception of the Tiniroto Hotel, the improvements ordered to the various hotels at the annual meeting had been ; completed. Six months had been allow,ed for the additions to Tiniroto Hotel, winch would no doubt be complete bv ; that time. J The closing of the hotels at 10 p.m. [appeared to work satisfactorily, and the I licensees, Sergeant Siddells thought, were strictly complying with the law. There appeared to be an improvement in the town of Gisborne with regard to Sunday j trading.. At the present time there was to the Sergeant no apparent signs that the law was being broken in this respect. "Some of tlie licensees would do well," continued the Sergeant, "to pay attention and see that liquor is not supplied to young persons. Complaints have been made to me tliat boys have been allowed jto obtain too much liquor, and I have observed youths about tlie streets, especially on Saturday niglits, with unmistakable signs of licjuor on them, but in fairness to licensees, I must state that frequently youths pretend to be drunk and misbeliave themselves, -when in reality they have, had very little liquor, and are perfectly sober when a policeman comes in view. This kind of conduct naturrally gives the public the impression that there is a lot of drunkenness going on among the youths' of the town. To avoid such an impression, it would be well if the various licensees refused to supply liquor to youths. By youths I mean young persons between the ages of 16 and 20 years. Outside of this matter I am of opinion that the licensed houses in the town'of Gisbome are being well conducted at the present time. "During the past quarter the licensee .of the Kaitaratalii Hotel was convicted 'and fined for refusing to provide accommodation for a traveller, and at the present time there are prosecutions pending against four licensees for Sunday trading, which shows that the law is not being strictly observed by the country hotelkeepers." , Constable McLeod, Tolaga Bay, reported that both the Pakarae and Tolaga Bay Hotels had been well conducted during the past quarter and the public well i catered for, but the repairs ordered in connection with the Tolaga Bay Hotel at the last quarterly meeting, to- be completed within three months, were not finished, although in progress. Tlie Chairman considered that when the Committee ordered repairs to be done, and the licensee f ound f himself iinable to complete them within the time, he should apply for extension of time. As the repairs were being attended to, and possibly might be done at the time of the meeting, the Committee would pass.it over this time-, but if any complaints were made that repairs were not completed, the licensee would run a risk of losing his license.