HOTEL LICENSE

Southland Times, Issue 19125, 18 December 1923, Page 6

HOTEL LICENSE

AN UNUSUAL POSITION. PLENTY OF COMPLICATIONS. (Per'United Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, December 17. A novel case in connection with the license of a local hotel was revealed at the adjourned meeting of the Licensing Committee to-day. At the last meeting, Mrs Robinson, who held a temporary license of the hotel, had been unsuccessful in .having her license made permanent and sought to transfer it to D. Hoskin. The latter, however, has withdrawn and, as a temporary license expired at noon to-day, it left, so the police stated, no one responsible for the control of the hotel. Counsel for the proprietor said the latter was willing to take over the place to clear matters up, but it was pointed out that as a matter of law, the license would revert to the previous licensee did she return from Auckland to-day, else it would lapse altogether. The previous licensee was willing to assist the parties in straightening out matters. The chairman said it would be best if th? previous licensee did not come back as it would only complicate matters. “If she does not come back,” he added,' “and no one is holding the license, we can grant it to some other person. In the meantime it appears that the hotel is ‘deserted’ so far as the license is concerned and no one has authority to sell liquor.” The Bench, he added, would take no action until counsel could state what was the actual position, whether the previous licensee had returned in time to claim the reversionary license or whether it had lapsed altogether. In the latter event, the chairman and two' members of the Committee could grant a license to someone.