Licensing Committees.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5023, 9 June 1884, Page 3

Licensing Committees.

• I SYDENHAM. This Day. Tho quarterly (annual) meeting of the Sydenham Licensing Committee was held ; at the Sydenham Borough Council Cham- j bers at noon to-day j present — Messrs J. T. Brown (Chairman), G. Booth, J. A. Rankin, J. Forrester and W. Langdown. new license. James Crowley applied for a new license for premises situated in Madras street. Mr Crowley stated that the house which he had intended to have licensed had been burnt down. The plans of en- | largements had also been burnt. His i intention was to have put up a brick front to the building for which he had applied in previous years. All the requirements of the Act had been complied with. He might say that he appeared merely because he had put in an application, which he hardly expected the Committee to grant. The Chairman said that the police reported that the house was not required in the neighbourhood. The Committee were of the same opinion, and so tho license would not be granted. Crown Hotel, South Town Belt. — Robert Belgrave applied for a renewal. Mr Loughrey appeared to support the application. The Chairman said that certain complaints had boon made of Sunday trading, and the Committee had decided to put down that sort of thing, not with reference to one house only, but with regard to all. The license would be granted with ten o'clock closing. Mr Loughrey said he had been instructed to apply for an 11 o'clock license. He pointed out that Mr Belgravo's hotel was only across the street, as it were, from Christchurch, where the houses closed at 11. He submitted that it was for the benefit and convenience of those who were in the habit of patronising hotels that the house should be open till 11. Men going home from late work, who required some stimulant, would have it; and if they could not get it in Sydenham they would get it in town, and perhaps be kept out later than they would otherwise. The Chairman said that the Committee had decided to grant none bub 10 o'clock licenses except in cases where special circumstances required that the houses should bo kept open till 11. The application would bo considered after dealing with the other renewals. Mr Loughrey also applied for leave for the licensee to extinguish his lamp after closing. The Chairman said that the Committee were generally in favour of the lights being kept burning all night. The application, however, would receive consideration at the end of the meeting. Waltham Arms Hotel. — F. C. Bowler applied for a renewal, and also for an extension of his license to 11 o'clock. He stated that he considered that he would lose a deal of his legitimate custom if his premises were closed at 10. The renewal was granted, tho applicai tion for an 11 o'clock license being deferred.

Railway Refreshment Rooms. — Henry S. Drummond applied for a renewal. The Chairman said that the police report was favourable. With regard to the hours of closing, it was stated that Mr Drummond was bound, under his lease with the Government, to open at all times when a train left the station. The Chairman said that the license would be granted in accordance with the terms of the agreement. Mr Drummond said that he considered the license fee — £-10 a year — was rather extortionate, as his place was not an hotel. The Chairman said he thought the Committee had no power to interfere with the matter. He presumed the applicant knew all about it when he accepted the responsibility of conducting the rooms. Sydenham Hotel, Durham street. — William Henry Conlon applied for a renewal. In answer to the Chairman, the applicant said that he had not many lodgers ; a few persons stopped there for a night only. The Chairman said that the Committee had heard that a good deal of Sunday trading went on at the house. Mr Conlon said there was not much Sunday trading in his house. The Chairman said that it must not go on at all. The license would be renewed, but the Committee had instructed him to make a special reference«to Sunday trading. If there was any more of it, the Committee would take the action in their power. Mr Conlon said that persons had to come into his house on Sundays, but if he did not serve them, he thought that was all right. The Chairman said that there was no need for persons who wanted liquor to go in by a back door. Mr Conlon asked if the Committee would let him have one of the front doors open on Sundays. The Chairman said that Mr Conlon could do that if he wished to lose his license. He knew his business, and the hours during which he was allowed to keep open. There must not be any more of the Sunday trading. Kingston Hotel, Colombo street south. — John Johnston applied for a renewal. The Chairman said that the police report on the house was very good, and the renewal would be granted to 10 o'clock. Mr Johnston applied for an extension to 11 o'clock. He said that personally he was in favour of 10 o'clock closing, but as the Christchurch hotels kept open till 11, it was unfair for the Sydenham publicans to have to close at 10. The Chairman said that the matter would be considered at the end of the other business. Mr Johnston also applied for leave to put out his light at 11. He said that he considered that it was a sort of refined torture for a publican to have to burn a lamp all night, as he had frequently to get out several times in the night to attend to it. The Chairman said that the Committee were of; opinion that the hotel lights should be burning all night. Club Hotel, Colombo street. — Stephen Lawrence made application for the renewal of his license. In reply to the Chairman, the applicant stated that he had several lodgers in his house, and the business in that line was increasing. He had a fire escape and two ladders, but would be willing to make any additions in that way the Inspector might suggest. Mr Lawrence applied for an extension to 11 o'clock, pointing out that he frequently had public dinners and other gatherings at his house, which often lasted till after 11. There was a Working Men's Club close by, which did not close till 11. The Chairman said that the license would be granted to 10 o'clock. The application for extension would be considered along with the others. The Committee wished Mr Lawrence to be very careful with regard to Sunday trading. Mr Lawrence said that none but travellers were served by him on Sundays. The Chairman said that it was, of course, not an infringement of the law to serve bond fide travellers. Southern Cross Hotel, South Town Belt. —Robert Russell applied for the renewal of his license. Mr Loughrey appeared for the applicant, and asked for an extension to 11 o'clock, on. the ground that the house was used largely by drovers and others who came from their work at a late hour. Mr Taylor asked if there would be any opportunity for ratepayers to object to the 11 o'clock licenses. The Chairman said that it was too late to put in a memorial, but any ratepayer could speak to the Committee. The license would be granted, and the application for an extension deferred. The Committee wished to caution the applicant against Sunday trading, which, they were informed, went on in his house. Mr Loughrey said that there was Sunday trading, but it was of a legitimate sort, none but bond fide travellers were served, and they were persons whom publicans were bound to serve. The Chairman Baid that they beliived that Mr Russell knew the people who frequented his house, and would know how to act. He must be very cautious in the matter. Sandridgo Hotel, Colombo street South. —William Walls applied for the renewal of his license, and for an extension to 11 o'clock. The applicant explained that his former hotel had been burned down, and the new building was almost completed. It was of wood, and was somewhat more convenient than the former one. The plans had been seen by the old Committee. Mr Taylor said he thought that the old Committee had agreed to grant the license on condition that the house was rebuilt in brick and stone. The Chah-man said that the license would be granted until 10 o'clock, conditionally on the house being fitted up and furnished subject to the approval of the Inspector. Mr Taylor said that it was distinctly stated by Dr Frankish that no more licenses would be granted in the Borough except the houses were of brick and stone. The Chairman said that the present was not a new license, but a renewal. The license would be granted, and the application for an extension considered with the others. Lancaster Park Hotel, Ferry road. — J. E. Bashford made application for a renewal. Mr Joyce appeared in support of the application, and asked the Committee to grant an extension to 11, on the ground that the house was situated ou the boundaries of another district, where tho hotels closed at 11. Mr Bashford's house wris really away from Sydenham proper, so that his house could hardly be considered as in the District, and need not be taken together with the other houses. He also applied for leave to extinguish the hotel light at 11 o'clock, and pointed out that several of the Committees in Otago had granted such permission. In this case there was a gas lamp immediately opposite the door. The Chairman said he did not think that the house could be considered as being an exception, but the Committee would take into consideration what Mr Joyce had said. The police report on the house was satisfactory. The license would be granted to 10 o'clock, and the application for an extension would be considered with the others. At this stage Mr Conlon applied for fin extension of the license for the Sydenham Hotel. The Committee then retired to consider the applications for 11 o'clock extensions. After a retirement of a quarter of an hour the Committee returned, and the Chairman said the Committee had very fully considered the matter, and were of opinion that, considering the nature of the Borough, which was chiefly a working man's district, they felt that they could not grant any extensions beyond 10 o'clock, which they thought was quite late enough for drinking to go on, and quite late enough for a working man, for the sake of his wife and family, ■to drink to. With regard to the [lamps, the Committee had decided that . they must be kept burning all night. The j matter, however, would be considered again ' next meeting, and if there were any cases

in which there were very exceptional circumstances, they would receive favourable consideration. The Committee noticed from the police report that there was no horse trough in front of the Sydenham Hotel. They would, therefore, ask Mr Conlon to provide one at once. Tho Committee thtn adjourned.