FOOTBALLERS IN HOTELS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1921, Page 8

FOOTBALLERS IN HOTELS.

USING THEM AFTER HOURS. IMPORTANT QUESTION INVOLVED. The question of footballers using an hotel for accommodation purposes after matches was discUsaed at the annual meeting of the Stratford Licensing Committee last week, the subject being brought up as the result of recent police criticism.. An application was made to the committee by Mr. F. W. Whittle for a renewal of the license in respect of the .Stratford Hotel, and Mr. Quilliam. who appeared in support, took occasion to refer to the police reports anent the conduct of the hotel, the matter specially under review being the result of a police visit to the house some time ago, when a party of visiting footballers were there. Mr. Quilliam said the police reports put before the, committee were of a vague nature, but certain charges might be inferred from them. He desired to •say that such charges were quite un founded, and| that the reports were grossly unfair to the licensee. On April 23 last football teams visited Stratford and were aciTommodated at the Stratford Hotel. After the match, they returned to the hotel to bath, change and have the evening meal. In all about seventy persons wanted to have the meal there, but the dining room would only hold forty. As a matter of fact the bar was closed promptly at six o’clock, and no drink was sold after that hour. Some of those waiting for meals were standing in the passage when Sergeant Dale came in. This was about 6.30 p.m. NO PROSECUTION.

On such slender grounds the reports were based. The police report stated that when Sergeant Dale entered the hotel he saw about twenty men in the passage, some of them being local residents. Some of these said they were waiting for tea; but on being spoken to th»y all left the house. Sergeant Dale found the licensee in his office with the door shut, and the sergeant told Whittle that if he desired to cater for footballers he must be more strict. The report repeated a statement made by Constable Gill that he had seen on the bar wi/dows shadows of men drinking. The police report concluded by remarking that the ground of complaint was lack of supervision qii the part of the licensee. Mr. Whittle emphatically denied that anything in the nature of a breach of the law occurred. There might have been loud talking, but this was z not to be wondered at when a victorious football team returned to its quarters. Counsel asked the committee to condemn the reports. If the police made the reports as private individuals they would have to answer for them. Mr Whittle relented the reports and appealed for protection.

Sergeant Dale said he would have failed in his duty as inspector of licensed premises if he failed to put the reports he had before the committee Constable Gill reported to him thaf men came tumbling out of the hotel, one with his nose bleeding. When he (the sergeant) arrived the house was all lit up, so that he had to make inquiries. Afterwards Whittle wrote to the Rugby Union and put his side of the question before the public. Everything contained in the reports was true. Mr. Quilliam: Why did you not prosecute? Sergeant Dale: We could not get sufficient evidence; and you know why. Proceeding, Sergeant Dale said the only charge he wished to make against the licensee was lack of supervision of the house on football days. Mr. McMillan asked why, when Gill saw the shadows of men drinking in 4he bar, he did not take steps to get evidence for a prosecution. Sergeant Dale said he had instructed constables not to go into a hotel alone, but to wait till another constable, or himself arrived. UNDER-AGE PLAYERS. The chairman (Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M.) said the committee could not condemn the reports. If they did so it ■would mean that licensees would be left to run their houses as they wished. In the report there was nothing to condemn except the passage about the shadows of men drinking in the bar. If the public saw people coming out of a hotel , at 6.15 or 6.30, and there was no action by the police, the - public would blame the police. He did not know that Whittle had much ground for complaint. The making of the police report had given his counsel the opportunity of making an eloquent vindication. ‘Whittle desired to run his house properly, and resented suggestions that he did not do so; but if he expected the police to keep away from his hotel, of course that was impossible. x Mr. Quilliam: We do not ask tnht. Proceeding, the chairman said that whilst on the subject generally he desired to speak on the matter of underage footballers. Members of the committee had found from their own observation and from reports received that under-age footballers in Taranaki went into hotels after matches.

Mr. Quilliam said the Rugby Union had made an appeal to licensees not to serve liquor to players in the third and fourth grades, who were under 21 years of age. The chairman said , he was pleased to hear that. It was a matter of the gravest importance that persons under 21 years should not be served, and he deaired to impress on licensees the seriousness of the matter. Licensees were often tempted. They were only human, and sometimes fell. Often the fault was

not with the licensees, but with those who tempted them. The matter had been thoroughly thrashed out, and the discussion should have a good effect. Licensees ran a great risk Jin supplying liquor to boarders while outsiders were present, and outsiders found on hotel premises might find it difficult to give an explanation of their presence which would satisfy the Police Court.

A renewal of the license as applied for was duly granted.