LICENSING COMMITTEES

Timaru Herald, Volume C, Issue 15361, 2 June 1914, Page 9

LICENSING COMMITTEES

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting cf the Timaru Licensing Committee was held at the Courthouse yesterday. Mr V. G. Day. S.M., chairman of tho committee, presided and there were also present— Messrs D. Stuart, and H. B. Kirk, THE* LATE MR AY. B HOWELL. Before proceeding with the ordinary business the Chairman said he wished to make a short reference to the fcss sustained, not only by the Licensing Committee, but bv the whole district" m the death of Mr AY. B. Howell. Mr Howell had been a member of the committee for several years, always performing his duties most conscientiously and always on. the side of temperance. He would b? greatly missed in all circles. The old settlers would miss him most, ho "havin" been in tho district from the very earlv clays. Mr Day suggested" tha the c.'erk be instructed to forward a letter to the widow and relatives expressing the regret of the committee at nis untimely decease Personally he had only known' Mr Howe 1 .! for the last four or five years, and ho regarded hi-j death as a great loss. Mr Howell had a boy at the High School iti which institution he had taken a great deal of interest, and of his influence over the boys one could not say too much. His influence over the rising generation of boys generally was very great and always for goodMr J. Hole endorsed the remarks of the Chairman. He had been associated with the late Mr Howel'j for many years and had always found him a very strright forward man, and a power of strength in educational matters. Respected, by ail who knew h'm Mr Howeil wou'd be very greatly missed. •The resolution was carried in silence all present standing

ORDINARY BUSINESS. The Chairman said the police report ou tho hotels was a very favourable one. All were we'Jl conducted. and there was no objection lodged by the police or any otiic.r person as to the conduct oi any of (lie houses. There was an adverse report regarding tli3 condition of buildings at two hotels. Those were the Royal, Timaru, and the Doncaster Hotel, AVashdyke. AVith regard to these 'hotels the committee did not propose at present to grant a renewal of tho respective licenses, • but to adjourn tho applications until September. The intention of the committee was not to attempt to compel any licensee at present to expend any large sum of money on permanent buildings. The local option poli was pending and it would depend on the result of it what the decis on of the committee would be, in regard to the two houses mentioned. '

Sub-Inspector Cruickshank' resorted on an,inspection of the Royal Hotel. He found the old wooden portion of the building facing Cain's Terrace in a. very bad condition. The floors and walls in parts were rotted away, leaving holes. Beds had been shifted to provent the bed posts dropping through ■some'of the holes in the'floor. and the building was not fit, for habitation, and phould bo pulled down without delav. In regard to the AYashdyke Hotel, the bedrooms were too small, and the house could not bo healthy to res ; de in. The washhouse was in a. wretched condition of decay, and all the out-buildinsrs were ■in a delapidated condition. The water tanks were leaking. The Jiousrt. required to bo pulled down and rebuilt without delay.. Some repairs were necessary without delay at "the. rear of the house;. The- washhouse and lavatories required- attention.

• The licensee was asked to hare these matters attended to forthwith. The transfer of the license of G. Birchfie.ld. Saltwater Cre-k Hotel i ,-, Michael .O'Meeghan, was confirmed. v The applications in rosoeet of .the Doncaster and Royal .Hotels were ad iourned until September. Mr. AV. Raymond said ho had n letter from the owner of the Royal Hotel stating that after the election was. •fought and won" he proposed •rebuilding.

The following renewals were graned: —-M. J. O'Donuell, Hibernian Hotel: . Yarr, Queen's: A. P. Ga.whei Jimarn Hotel: AV. N. Jones, Excelsior : E. "Ward, Club; J. P. Murrmy.. Grcsyenor; R. Berti, Crow.n ; C. J. Sutherland, Old Bank; J. Reilly, Dominion. New licences were granted to Michael O'Meeghan, Saltwater Creek, and J. Kenning, Empire.

ATHOLESALE LICENSES. AVholesale licenses were granted to the National Mortgage and Agencv Co., 1,, AVilson and Co., Maling and «°' J C -F-0.A., and tho Timaru Mrewery Co. Mr M J. O'Brien, solicitor, asked it the Committee would agree'to the Jighcs at-hotel doors being extinguished at 10 a clock as formerly. Sub-Inspector Cruickshank raised no objection, and tho Committee .granted the reoucst for town hotels. ' '■licenses cautioned; ■■*••"' :\- ;r (Per Pres? Association.) . -mSNiJunel. At the, meeting of the Licensing Committee, the chairman insisted that licensees should do their utmost to prevent- bookmakers using the. premises frJ,the purposes' of gaming. In one "case a. licensee had reduced the accommodation for boarders below the limit set by the statute. The Bench gave warning that the licensee in such cases might be, forfeited.