NELSON LICENSING COMMITTEE.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 12723, 15 December 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

NELSON LICENSING COMMITTEE.

QUARTERLY MEETING

(From "Tlie Colonist," Dec. 7.)

The quarterly meeting.' of the Nehou Licensing Committee was held at noon yesterday. Present: ilessis J. S. Evans S.M., (chairman), H. Atmore, P. Best, R.Watson, N. A. McLaren aud T. Pettit.

The following permanent transfers wore granted: — > James^Briggs (Mr. Maginnity) to W. E. Thomas, Panama Hotel 5 A. F. Hook (Mr. Maginnity) to J. McNeil, Railway -Hotel, Richmond: Joseph Swindale (Mr. Harloy) to Elizabeth Maples, Central Hotel. ;

Air. Maginnity, ou behalf of C. P. Carisson, licensee of the Provincial Hotel, applied for further extension of leave, and for permission for his wife to manage tlie business during his absence. Mr Pettit pointed out that the Licencing Act prohibited a married woman from holding a license; and he did act thiirk that the Com-, mittoc should endorse the application. He had no' wish to be harsh, and favoured granting the application for two months only. He pointed out that Mr Carlssuii ha-d had 16J months' leave of absence in two years.

Mr. Watson moved that leave of absence be granted for three mor.fths.. After some discussion, in wiliiah members expressed tlie opinion that there should bo some finality in regard to these applications, it was resolved on Mr. Atmore' s motion to grant the extension for the six months applied for, on the under standing that no further extension of. loayo is to be asked for.

An application for ; a temporary transfer of ethe license" of the White Hart Hotel, Richmond, from tlie D.O.A.^to Arthur Powtriall was approved. -„ ' Sergeant Dougari preferred to the i conduct of the licensees of certain houses. On one occasion a man was found on licensed premises on a Sunday, and the licensee on being approached by the" police denied that he had seen the man, although there were two witnesses who could show that the- licensee was aware of the man's presence. At another house , the police had. discovered evidence of Sunday trading, although they could not have proved the charge in Court. On another occasion on '-a Sunday a man was found drank at a hotel hut where he obtained the liquor he would not say. Men got drank somewhere on Sundays, and Sergeant Dougan con tended that these houses wero not well conducted, and he thought itright to mention these matters to the committee. »

Some disoussion followed, the ma-, jority of the committee agreeing _that the sergeant was within his rights in mentioning these matters. - Mr. Atmore: dissented, and contended that nothing should be mentioned . unless there was a conviction againist the licensee.

The Committee then adjourned.