LICENSING COMMITTEES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9253, 4 June 1908, Page 3

LICENSING COMMITTEES

CHUISTCHURCH. The Chrktchurch Licensing Committee- eat at noon to-day in the Magistrate's Court buildings ; present— JUr H. W. Bishop, S.M. (chairman), ilev 11. S. Gray, and Messrs C. E. Salter and J. A. Flasher. POLICE REPORT. Sub-Tnfipecfcor Dwyer, whose report to the Bench on the licensed houses in tho Christ-church licensing district for the year ending May 30, was read by i the chairman, stated that during the i ye:'.r licensees had, with few exceptions, complied fairly well with the licensing laws, and there, had been few comj r>!aints. At the quarterly meeting in j December the question <*£ tho usovfuli new; of knotted ropes in bedrooms as a rnean-s of escape from fire had been raised, ami the committee had directed him to furnish a report to the annual meeting. In compliance with that directkvn be had to state that there were in tho district twelve threeptoreyed buildings, with the exception •of a Kinall wing in Coker's and Warner's Hotel*. All these were now provided with iron balconies. There were fifteen cf tho two-storeyed buildings fitted with iron balconies, leaving only nineteen two-storeyed buildings entirely depending on staircases and knotted ropes in bedrooms. These were all ismall, low buildings, and in each case lie had made a suggestion that a small iron platform or balcony with nn iron ladder to the ground should bo erected in a part of thebnild- | ing where it would be most needed, if I possible, similar to the one lately erecti ed fit the Grosvenor Hotel. He thought j that tin's nipans. if adopted, would in | every instance prove sufficient in case jof tire. As in other places, the ques- | tion mip;ht be asked if' drinking among j women in the hotels had attained any ! Tvp.initudp in the Christ-church licensing ! district. For some time past this matter had received close attention, and from his constant observation and from vooor+s furnisbo'? from time to time by the sergeants doing dirty in the city the bfsbit of drinking was not on the increase, nor was it carrier! on to any sxeat <^xtpv:t. On Saturdays and market, days a rronrl mnrsy farmers and pronlo frnTy, f], 0 countrr used the hotels with stabling accommodation attached, and after, their business and shr-r^me; wero over thoir wives ncoompanied them +n .rbpco lictelr.. tw^ wi+h them nartonlr of refreshment. Tji the suburbs and outskii'ts of the city f few women, apparent v "I'lt 1 wjvps of workins; men. wont to the hotels with ju^s for bpoT for " hrtv.c\ eoiic-nrnTHrm." These, with n. few of the fallen clp.sk. comprised the j flrfn^inc; women in the city. Tber^ was ! another mr>t+o»- fji-+ 1m desirer' to brinrr | nno'pr the notice of the cornnyttep. and tbnt vns +bp number of T>vobibited persons ■"•bo fr^m time to tiro*> came before •M 1O Court for bmnMnpr tbe conditions of +lir>|r prrlpr. Ho Vnr>^- the ease with r.-WWh ihoer* novsw roulri procure Honor tT-;tiion<- rrmr><r t-o tbo botok -i^pmsolves for it. hi' f ' ;11 v - +I'on~b+ that a few of tbo -rnbUen--": -"M nn-f fair* ite i'wn> cto~v steps to fine! ont vho tbo nrobibifr .' O i) Trr>«" ■\viT»n tb^" v n ''O served i v-itb +'"» upuil "n+icp. TTo 1 not say that they would bo successful in " II onses. but hi irip^v in^tpnfos bo thovfht they VnnM bo if tbev tool- tlie trouble to make the T*rr>n«r innnmes. TRANSFERS. Tlie following applications to transfer were granted .-—Empire Hotel, George Pentecost Payne to Orton G. Bradley; White Swan Hotel, Fanny Schultliies to Georsre Holt (Mr Lane); Sandridgo Hotel, Walter Soott to James Power (Mr Cassidy) ; White Ifart Hotel, John Neill to William IT. Deal (Mr Wright). In regard to the last application, Mr Wright was asked for some information as to the position of tho contract for rebuilding the hotel, which was destroyed in the big fire. Mr Wright stated that he had no definite information, but he understood that the contract time? would expire in October next. Ho undertook to advis© the committee more fully in this matter. A temporary transfer of Coker's Hotel was matfe from Mary E. Rainbow to Harry Thompson, RENEWALS. Renewals \ver Q granted as follow: — United Service Hotel, Maurice A. Lyons (Mr F. I. Cowlishaw) ; Oxford Hotel, Robert A. Hern (Mr Nicholls) ; Wellington Hotel, Gavin Loudon (Mr Cowlishaw) ; Zetland Arms Hotel, E. Fox (Mr Moseley); Clarendon Hotel, David Collins (Mr Hunter) ; Empire Hotel, Orton G. Bradley (Mr Lane); His Lordship's Hotel, Margaret Lahmann (Mr Lane); Star and Garter Hotel, Paul Bernard Flood (Mr Cassidy) ; Cafe de Paris Hotel, Thomas A. Clondesley (Mr Cassidy); New Albion Hotel, Jane Surman (Mr Wright) ; Rotherfield Hotel, Daniel Hurt (Mr Hoban); Excelsior Hotel, William Colclough (Mr Hoban) ; Shades Hotel, George L. Raynor (Mr Hoban) ; White Hart Hotel William H. Deal (Mr Wright); Dominion Hotel. H. M'Artney (Mr Wright); Crown Hotel, F. Vale (Mr Lane); Carlton Hotel, F. Davy (Mr Lane); Foresters' Hotel, Jane M'Ncely (Mr Lano) ; Provincial Hotel, D. Edmonds; Caledonian Hotel, Samuel Spedding (Mr Lane); Masonic Hotel, E. Power; Royal Hotel, E. Tattersall : Prince of Wales Hotel. Patrick S. Flood (Mr Malley) ; Grosvenor Hotel. J. Jackson (Mr Hunt). Renewals were granted to the following houses, on an undertaking that the committee's recommendations in regard to fire-escapes and other matters would be carried out : — Market Hotel, 0. Liddiard (Mr Moseley) ; Sandridge Hotel. J. Power (Mr Cassidy); New Zealander Hotel, J. L. Jopj> (Mr Hoban); Waltham Anns Hotel, Robert Bc-rti (Mr Hoban) ; Al Hotel. P. Devane (Mr Hoban) ; Queen's Hotel, J. J. Cavanagb (Mr Hoban) ; Tattersall's Hotel, W. J. A. Clay (Mr Wright); Storey's Hotel, W. James (Mr Wright); Warner's Hotel, E. E. Daniels (Mr Wright) ; Dominion Hotel, H. M'Artney (Mr Wrieht) ; Southern Cross Hotel, T. G. Fox (Mr Cowlifihaw); Royal Georere Hotel, W. C. Toms (Mr Lane) ; Gladstone Hotel, H. W. Pippr (Mr Cowlishaw) ; Eastern Hotel. J. Thornton (Mr Ross): Coker's Hotel, Mary A. Rainbow (Mr Cowlishaw); Railway Hotel, R. D- Petrie (Mr Cassidv) ; Lancaster Park Hotel, J. Bryan (Mr Cowlishaw); Club Hotel, Sydenham, A. J. Lawrence: Gaversnaui Hotel, C. L. Stark (Mr Hunt). The renewal of the license of the White Swan Hotel (G. Holt) was adjourned for three months, the license to remain alive, pending inquiries regarding a new stable. The case of the City Hotel (J. T. Sutton) wn-s nfoo adjourned for three months. Mr Ca<~sidy f-aid that the City Council bad given notice to the owners to carry out the improvements desired from the lisensee by "the committee. As the lofisp! had only a time to run, an adjournment would allow the matter to ho carried out under the Council's requisition. WHOLESALE LICENSES. Wholesale licenses were granted as follow: — Bishop and Co., G. Humphreys, Maling and Co., J. Shand and Co., R. Ballin, Grierson and Davis, G. Piercy and Co. and Roper and Co. In reply to Mr Wright, the chairman said that the committee would want to consider whether a license could be granted to Messrs Dalgety and Co., inasmuch as they were auctioneers. It had been done in the past, but the question was not raised by what bad occurred in Christchurch, but in other places. Formal leave was granted to extinguish outside lamps at ten o'clock i within the city. In- the case of Tattersall's Hotel,

Sub-Inspector Dwye'r said that the complaint in regard to the lighting of Oio right-of-way had been withdrawn, because a light had been placed there by the licensee. The chairman : And you are quite satisfied with the conduct of the house ? Sub-Inspector Dwyer : Yes. The chairman added that he thought that the bad lighting had provided the reason why the place had been fre- • queuted by undesirable characters. Mr Wirght said that the licensee had only recently got a definite answer that the City Council would not place a s light at "the spot, and the licensee had : then done so himself. ; In regard to Storey's Hotel, Sub-In-spector Dwyer said that the floor of '. the bar had been renewed, and he was satisfied. Mr Wright, in applying for a renewal of the license of Warner's Hotel, said that the licensee had thought that the fire escape recommendations of the committee could be improved, and, with the assistance of Fire Superintendent Smith, had planned an escape leading to the eastern escapes of the hotel rather than into the yard of the Dominion Hotel. ' . The chairman said that the alternative proposal would be accepted if the Sub-Inspector was satisfied. In regard to Coker's Hotel, for which the license was renewed, Mr Cowlishaw, in reply to the chairman, said that the new applicant for a temporary transfer was taking a lease of the place for ten years. When the caso of the Lancaster Park Hotel was mentioned, the chair man said that the committee was of opinion, that in all cases the sanitary conveniences should be lighted. Complaints had been forwarded fo> the committee, rightly or wrongly, with regard to the place at the Lancaster Park Hotel. This was not the only house., for tho Imperial Hotel and the Royal George Hotel were also mentioned in the police report, and ho would get a report from the police on the matter, as the committee would have to make a special rule to apply to all cases. Tlie chairman, referring to the report regarding the conduct and condition of tho Caversham Hotel, said that the licenseo must look after his business, and carry out his obligations. If there was one thine; more necessary than ani other in tho conduct of a house, it was personal supervision of details. Ml- Hunt said that the licensee had been duly impressed with the fact.