LICENSING.

Timaru Herald, Volume LII, Issue 5168, 15 June 1891, Page 4

LICENSING.

The chairman of the Wellington Liconsinf Committee, at their meeting remarked :— " The committees are quite satisfied that the majority of hotels in the city do a very large business on Bundtiys, an-i (hoy arc of opinior that until some different system in adoptee Sunday trading will continue. Tho committei are aware that many publicans would profei closing on the Sunday if it were univeroal but when thoy find thair neighboura eellinf ittiay Bay they are compelled to do likewise, t< .prevent their oustomoro leaving them durinj ihe vreeje. Members of the committed hav<

noticed, and their attention has boon called J to several hotels where young children are | . sent by their parents for liquor. The committee would suggest that it would be woll ■ if publicans were more careful, and refuped to Berve children. The committee can't help noticing that there is a great amount of i trafflo qoirg on in hotel business. They find that during tbo year no less than half the ' hotels in the city have ohanged hands, and in i ■ several esses they have also changed . hands a second lime. The committee attri- ■ bute this to the fact that the majority of the ' hotels are in the hands of the brewers and , merchants. The Committee have reason to believe that there is a good deal of dummyism ; coing on and they intond in future to make i full inquiries before granting licenses." In i the case of tbe application for renewal of I license for the Empire hntel, the application • was granted on the condition that the bar ia I Viotoria-Street was closed. Mr Skerrett . appeared on bnhalf of the applicant, and ' disputed the committee's power to order the ■ bar to be closed. It was trun the committee f had the power of regulating the number of ' : bars, but a bar was defined by statute bb a J E plaea for tho sale of liquor opening direotly , on a public street or thoroughfare. In the ; C3s e of the Empire Hotel, tbo only bar pro | : perly within the meaning of tho statute was • i the oue in Victoria street. There wove other ' i hotels in eiietly the same position. He l i pointed out also that if the committee nor- > sisted in this ruling thay were really grant- ■ 1 ing liuonaoa for hotels without provision for b a bar at all. Tho committee still saw no ' ' reason to alter their decision. Mr Skerrett ! ' then intimated that with all due resprrt to l the Bench, he did not feel himself bound i by this decision. Ho asked leavo to state a ) caso for the opinion of the Biiprome Court, ■ and to deposit a sum sufficient to cover the i oosts. The Bench still bold to the ruling, ■ and refused to grant the Jsave asked for.