POSITION OF THE LICENSING LAWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14047, 18 July 1916, Page 5

POSITION OF THE LICENSING LAWS.

Considerable local interest attaches to the decision of the Bay of Plenty Licensing committee m granting the transfer of the license from Ohiwa, neat Opotiki, to„.the new premises erected by Mr. D. J. Barry, at Manutahi. Manutahi, or the "Cross Roads" as it is familiarly known ori the Coast, is on the main inland. Waiapu road, at a point aborit 12 niiles inland from Tu"paroa. In anticipation of the above result ,Mr. Bany has erected a large two-storey hotel which Mill provide up-to-date accommodation for the travelling public. With the growth and development of the Waiapu, conditions have materially changed from the days when ' the sea beaches . arid occasional "short cuts" over projecting headlands formed! practically the only route along the Coast. The opening rip of the inland road, and the introduction particularly of motor traffic m the summer months, have effected great changes m which, those associated with the Waiapu foresee the establishment m the future of important settlement at ' both Tikitikl and : "N(lanutahi, . The desirability of providing for the nee^s of the travelling public and the altered conditions of settlement have from time tb- time raised tlie question of the necessity for re-arranging the distribution of hotel licenses, not only on the Coast, but throughout the district'generally. '.' '"' " The granting of the above transfer from Ohiwa to Manutahi consitutes the first occasion a license has been transferred in_ this district lor niahy years, and authority for the Licenaing Committee's action is doubtless based Upon the decision of the Court of Appeal iii the case of Wagstaff v. o'Donell, delivered m, June of last year, and recorded in — G.L.R., page 406., whereby it was held that when ari accommodation license lapses, m a district m which continuance is i caried the Committee ' has jurisdiction to grant an accommodation license m respect of premises not previously licensed. It" will be noted, however, that the jurisdiction applies only to accommodation licenses, 'whereas "many of tho&p m question -have"bee n issued as publicans' licenses, arid srich cannot he) 'moved moi'e than 'al'-'^uaYter of a. mile' irii a borough arid a mile m the country. Ihstances .may be cited ' m which it is contended that ,the altered conditions of j settlement have done away ttrith the necessity for certain hotels, and that theconvenience of .the public generally Would be. better served" if Vthe licenses were permitted to ibe^remoye^ elsewhere. At Pt Awanui; foi" instkrice, there are two hotels, one of wliich, it has been urged, -might "well be rridved to another part of the district. ' Then again, the altered conditions brought about by the construction of the railway have given rise to an' agitation from time to time f<ir the establishment 'of licensed premises at Matawai. . It has heen contended that .the licensing! legislation should be made more elastic to permit of licenses m a grooving district being revised to meet the demands, of altered^ arid prog^essiye^jQiiittjditioris. 'The ques r tidn.pf course, iriyblves aai amendment of the Licensing Act. '•.■"'■; ""Interviewed on the subject to-day Mr. W. A. Bai*ton, . ,S. J MV, chairman of the Gisborne Lieensirig Committee,' said he hlad held the opimpn for 'somet ime that Eicerising .Committees' should! ■ |be given discretionary power to- remove licenses! tp places where .they were most needed,arid of greajtest .convenience tp. the pub-, lie generally. |'''-He- : .was .of opinion thatj instances could be cited where licenses iri this district , could be naoyed to 'advantage, and Whicji would result not only m greater convenience to the travelling public, ensuring 'adequate and satisfactory .accommodation, but it w 4 ould tenp . to improve .the observance of-, the licensing laws. With his- Jcnowledge ; of ithe cpa^t Jii'&r considered the; 'granting! of the 'license to Manutahi was a . move m the right direction. '•"■•." (