A FLOATING CABARET

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1931, Page 5

A FLOATING CABARET

BOAT OWNER’S PROPOSAL. APPLICATION FOR LICENSE. An application for a license to use the houseboat Britannia as a restaurant, tea-room and cabaret in the Auckland Harbour, and for permission to moor the vessel at Kohimarama wharf, caused some discussion at a meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board on Tuesday. ‘The application was made by Mr. R. N. Story, who stated that he had now become,■ sole owner of the houseboat Britannia. In a letter, dated February 6, he said he intended to use the vessel as a tearoom or cabaret. The boat did not contain sleeping accommodation beyond the requirements of the staff, but the intention was to, construct four cabins jn the roof for boarders, if prospects seemed favourable. There was no intention of accommodating casual boarders and no objection would be raised to deleting the words “private hotel” from his application for a license. A recommendation of the board-in-committee that a license be granted for commercial purposes and that application to moor the vessel at Kohimarama wharf be declined was objected to by Mr. J. B. Johnston. “I feel it is dangerous to pass this resolution in its present form,” said Mr. Johnston. “I accept the verdict of those members who say that the applicant is one. of very good character, but if we grant one license we cannot refuse others. Before long we may have a dozen or riwre hulks in the harbour, which are nothing more than floating dance halls. It will only require one small incident on one of these hulks for there to be a public outcry Against the Harbour Board for granting licenses. ‘‘As I read the opinion of our solicitors on this matter we cannot refuse the application if the vessel is seaworthy and is to be used for commercial purposes. I don’t know whether the vessel can be classed as seaworthy if it is only a floating wooden structure without any engines, but it seems very doubtful if use as a cabaret is a usual commercial purpose of a ship. I’lio chairman, Mr. M. H. Wynyard, said he agreed with the tenor of Mr. Johnston’s remarks. Tlie application to moor at Kohimarama wharf must be declined because of the structural nature of the wharf. The license could bd issued subject to proof that the vessel was seaworthy. If it was used as a cabaret the question would then arise if it was being used for a commercial purpose aiid that might have to be settled in a court of law.

An amendment was moved by Mr. Johnston, “That permission to moor at Kohimarama wharf be refused; but that a license be granted subject to satisfactory proof that tlie vessel is seaworthy, and is to be used for commercial purposes within the meaning of the board's by-laws, but the granting of the application must not be taken as an admission that the purposes for which it was desired to use the boat were commercial purposes or as a consent by the Harbour Board to such uses.” •

Th© amendment was carried unanimously.