LICENSING COMMITTEES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7727, 10 June 1903, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEES

• ♦ CHRISTdHURCH. A LICENSEE WARNED. .Tile adjourned meeting of the: Christchurch Licensing Committee was resumed at noon to-day j present — Messrs W. R. i Ha*elden, S.M. (chairman), T. H. Davey, S. S. Blackburne, J. Hamilton, J. M'Clatchie and F. Trent. In regard to tne Oxford Hotel, Mr Hoban said that the licensee had received notice from the City Council to effect the sanitary improvements desired by the committee. If the license Was granted the work would have to be carried out. The chairman said • that the licensee's undertaking to carry out the work would be more satisfactory. The license was granted on Mr Hoban's assurance that the work would be done. The license af the Queen's Hotel was granned. the licensee stating that the new sanitary accommodation was being provided. In regard to the Wellington Hotel, the chairman said that the committee ihad entrusted to him the responsibility of expressing the members' collective views on the subject. The applicant had had a- very narrow escape indeed. The committee was thoroughly dissatisfied with the way in which the house had! been conducted during the past year, an<s the police had reported on it The applicant had, therefore, had a very narrow escape from being told that a license would not be ■granted! to -hinij, and) that an adjournment would" be madesa that the owners of the house might put in an application in the name of another tenant. The committee said this by way of warning, so that the licensee anight amend his method of conducting his business. It would require him to. close the doors of the hotel which opened into the riglit-of-way, and to stop the prostitute trade that was being carried on. The committee was perfectly well aware that it could not issue th 6 license subject to these conditions, but if fciie licensee did not carry them out, and if the police reports were hot more favourable in the future, the present tenant would ceTtainly lose his license at the first opportunity. The license would be granted. Mr Russell, who appeared on behalf of the licensee (Mr W. Ha-lliday) said that, in view of what had been said, it would be only fair fpr him to ask tno committee's permission to malco. a statement. The evidence laid before the committee had simply been the police report, and no witnesses had been examined. He had in the Court nearly twenty leading citizens, who were prepared to swear that they had been in the Wellington Hotel ab all times, day and night, and thnt there was nb better conducted licensed house in Christchurch. The evidence which had justified the chairman's remarks had not been given on oa.th, and the licensec^had not had any opportunity of showingtliat the biassed police report wais not supported. The hotel was conducted under difficulties, owing to its position, but he was quite sure that tli© evidence he could have called would have led the committee to form quite another opinion from thafc expressed. The chairman said thafc one of the reasons why the committee had not taken a harshei" courso was that it be-ljeved that Mr Halliday was a very respebtable pian. In its opinion, however, he had not looked after the conduct of his house in the past as he would have to in the future. .On Inspector Gillies rising, the chairman said that it was not necessary for the policy, to make any reply. They all knew that counsel made observations to 'be published in the Press. Inspector Gillies said that he would like to state that he was prepared to call evidence- to bear out everything in the police report and perhaps a little more. The committee then rose.