CONDUCT OF HOTELS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16749, 2 June 1922, Page 8

CONDUCT OF HOTELS.

REMARKS BY MR H. Y. WIDDOWSON, S.M. question of women drinkinc. * Although, according to the polico report supplied at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Licensing Committee to-dnv, the hotels in Christchurch are on the whole, well conducted the chairman (Mr H. Y. Widdmvson S.M., brought before licensees several matters which required attention or remedying. They may be summarised as follows: — . . . Question of the amount of drinking done bv women at, certain hotels and the encouragement given them to °Failure to admit the police promptly and the giving, of warning of their approach. After hour trading. ~ , , , Provision of fire alarms in all hotels. Inadequacy of the hotel accommodation in Christchurch. PROVISION OP FIRE ALARMS. Mr IViddowson raid that, the police report on the hotels in the Christchurch district was that with few exceptions they had .been well conducted during the past year. The committee also noted that, the police reported that meet' of the licensees in Christchurch took a personal interest m seeing that their hotels were well conducted and that the Health Department. reported that all matters regarding sa.nitarv conditions had been attended to. The police report referred to the fact that no provision was made for fire alarms in the hotels in Christchurch. The police were of opinion that one fire alarm should be provided on each floo/ to give inmates warning in case of fire. . The . tee was strong!v of opinion that tJns suggestion should he carried out in each hotel and asked the licensees to act upon it as -promptly as possible. If. in any ease, it was not done by the next annual meeting the committee would have to go into the question ot discontinuing the license. drinking amongst women. The police had placed before the committee a list of the offences committed hr licensees in the district during the past twelve months. Mr. M iddowson said the committee knew that the ma-iorit-y of the hotels were well conducted and anv remarks he made did not apply to them. The committee noted and noted seriously that there hn:d been several cases of selling and exposing liquor for sale after hours. The committee also uo-ted that women were allowed in the- bars of certain hotels, and in this connection the police had put in a special report regarding one of the hotels in Sydenham. Ho would not mention the name of the hotel, but the police report stated that the licensee of it had provided a. special room for women, and that it was a cornmon thing to see *ts _ many .vb seven or eight women drinking in the room of an evening. Sydenhani was notorious for the amount of drinking which went on amongst women, and the police sergeant who made the report considered that the hotel in question catered for women more than any hotel he had seen. “ FOR LADIES ONLY.” There was a notice in the hotel stating that the room was ” for ladies only,” and this notice could be- seen from the street. Mr Widdowson said that something would have to he done and done immediately to stop this sort of thing. Of eo irse, the committee recognised that women had a right to go into an hotel and drink, but licensees should offer no inducement to them to do so. The hotel in question, and other hotels, must discourage women drinking as far as possible. A BAD PR ACTICE. Mr AViddowson also mentioned the fact that when the police visited certain hotels they were not admitted as quickly as they should be, and that apparently a means had been found of giving warning of the approach of the police. If this sort of thing was reported to the committee again they would take action with a view to stopping it, for it was a bad practice. According to the law, the police must be admitted to an hotel promptly. QUESTION OF ACCOMMODATION. Another matter referred to by Air Widriowson was the question of accommodation. The committee considered that something should be done to increase the hotel accommodation in Christchurch, which was inadequate, and recommended licensees to take action in the matter.