LICENSING COURT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3332, 6 December 1883, Page 3

LICENSING COURT.

TIMAEU—THIS DAY.

(Before E. G. Kerr (Chairman), W. C. Beswick, and E. G. Stericker, Esqrs, and His Worship the Mayor.)

POLICE REPORTS. The report of tho Inspecter of Police on tho licensed houses in tho town was of a favorable nature. They were all said to be well conducted, and only one conviction had been recorded during the quarter, viz., against the licensee of the Lynwood Hotel for supplying drink on Sunday. Tho Shamrock Hotel was stated to be closed, as the licensee (Mr Morgan) had become bankrupt. In reply to the Chairman, the Clerk to the Bench said the case against the licensee of tho Lynwood Hotel was not of a serious nature, and the Eesident Magistrate had .decided not to endorse the license. The Committee decided to take no action in tho matter. TRANSFER, A transfer of the license of the Club Hotel, was granted from A. J. Parsons to W. Darby, the police reporting favorably on the application. APPLICATION. MrJ. W. White, on behalf of the owner of the Shamrock Hotel (Mr Sermon, of Invercargill) applied to have the license of the Shamrock Hotel transferred to him. He pointed out that the licensee (W. Morgan) owed £2.50 for rent, and without giving notice to the landlord, he allowed the whole of the furniture and fittings in the house to be sold under bill of sale. Morgan refused to go out of the house or transfer the license to the owner of the premises, or anyone acting for him, unless he was paid £SO, and this in face of the fact that he already owed £250 for rent. Proceedings had to he taken in the Supremo Court to eject Morgan, and the writ of ejectment (produced) had now come to hand. Morgan had filed a few days ago, and handed the key and license to the Clerk of the District Court as interim Trustee. The Chairman asked Mr White whether he would proceed on the clause in the Act.relatiug to an ejected licensee, or whether he would proceed under the Bankruptcy clause. Mr White said he would like to have the case taken as if Morgan were an ejected licensee. He would ask to have the case adjourned till after 3 o’clock so as to enable the owner of the premises to be present with the person to whom ho wished to have the license transferred.

The Chairman said the Committee would not think of transferring the license or allowing the house to be opened until it was put in proper repair and furnished as required by the Act. The owner of the premises had apparently been badly treated, and the Bench did not wish to make him suffer greater loss by the license being allowed to lapse. The Bench were agreeable to adjourn the present application for a mouth, so that in the meantime the house could be furnished and properly fitted up. The license would be suspended for a month, and the house closed, but if a suitable tenant were found, and the house furnishd in the interim to the satisfaction of the Inspector of Police, he (the Chairman) would grant a temporary transfer of the license and allow the house to be opened. The Committee were anxious not to inflict any hardship on the owner of the premises, but they were determined not to allow a license to be held unless the requirements of the Licensing Act were complied with, Mr White said he would gladly accept the adjournment of his application on the conditions specified. The application was accordingly adjourned for a month.