“TIED HOUSES.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12646, 2 June 1919, Page 6

“TIED HOUSES.”

ACCOMMODATION FOR TRAVELLERS. OBLIGATIONS OF LICENSEES The relation of “tied houses’’ towards the accommodation necessary for j tlie comlort of the travelling public came up at tho annual meeting of the Christchurch Licensing Committee thin morning, ivbieli was adjourned alter »u statement had been made by the chairman regarding the nmi&r l» adjourning _ the nicotine Sfc- a fortnight, the chairman that the committed hud decided, fhat all licensees who were also lesser,si must produce statements showing tlie nature of an encumbrance on their leases, in order that the committed may ascertain how many licensed) houses are ” tied ” and how many arc "Irce” in the Christchurch district. Tiio chairman (Mr S. E- M’Ourthy, S.M.) said that the committee was nod satisfied with the conditions in reference to the supply of meals and accommodation for tho travelling public. Re- ( carding the latter conditions were very had. and tlie committee had been; through some hotels where it seemed to be admitted that the comfort of tho travelling public was not attended to.' In fact, there were one or two buildings which they may, at a laiter da)to, j condemn as being altogether unfit for j use. Tlx* committee wore giving timely notice ne to what they may do later on. Several instances had come before the committee in which travellers had/ called at hotels for meals and.had been refused because they were after the schedule time. The committee wished to point out that, in addition to being licensees, they were also innkceeprs, and as such they were bound to supply travellers with ;meals as long as fffiey retained the status of travellers-' Travellers were entitled to hod and hoard ns long ns the hotels had the accommodation available, but they were hound to supply meals, although not necessar-' ily hot meals. Mr Cassidy; It seems hardly fair to make such charges against the hotels in Christ church. , Tho chairman replied that _ charges had been brought before him in other places- Some licensees imagined that a. traveller was not entitled to a meal unless lie was there at schedule time. That was not so. In addition to selling liquor, innkeepers were bound to supply meals to travellers, no matter what time of day or night the traveller called. He would point out that it was a I very serious offence for hotelkeepers to refuse meals to travellers. Mr Cassidy: All these things can be dealt with on information being laid, in another place. The chairman stated that the committee had decided to adjonrn for a fortnight in order to see certain documents regarding encumbrances on. leases. Mr Cassidy asked the chairman to' deal with transfers as it was important that some of them should lie attended to._ hut the oh airman said that the committee refused to do any further business until it had seen the documents referred to.