Licensing Committee.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5180, 9 December 1884, Page 3

Licensing Committee.

SYDENHAM. The quarterly meeting of the Sydenham Licensing Committee was held at the Borough Council office at noon to-day ; present — Messrs G. Booth (in the chair), Taylor, BaoMn, and Forrester. Mr Walker, Clerk to the Committee, announced that Mr Brown had resigned bis seat, and that the Governor had appointed Mr Taylor in his place. Sergeant-Major Bulltn submitted tho police report on the hotels in the district. The various hotelkeepers in the district applied for an extension of the time of closing from 10 to 11 p.m. They stated that closing at the present hour caused trade to go to Christchurch, where the houses closed at 11. It wa3 not considered that drinking was lessened thereby, but that it was rather increased, as people going to Christchurch for drink would be likely to stop longer than they would if they could get refreshment nearer home. It was also inconvenient to the travelling public. Mr Thomas appeared in support of the application of Mr Conlon, of the Sydenham Hotel. Mr Taylor thought that the request of the hotelkeepers should be granted. To his own knowledge, the present time of closing had a direct tendency to increase drinking habits. The Chairman thought it was hardly the thing for the Committee to discuss applications openly. It would be better to retire. Mr Taylor said that his objection to that plan was that insinuations and innuendos were made against members if the proceedings were not conducted in public. It^was pointed out that any member could have his objections to a particular course recorded. The Committee retired to consider the application. After about 10 minute 3 absence the Committee returned, and Mr Booth announced that the application had been granted. His opinion was that the decision would not cause an improvement. The Act had doubtless been passed under the idea that a great deal of drunkenness pre- • vailed, which it was necessary to check. As another Committee would come into office in three months' time, and as he was not the regular Chairman, he had abstained from giving a casting, vote against the decision, though by doing so he could have altered it. This concluded the business.