The Refused Wellington Public House Licenses.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1855, 9 July 1886, Page 2

The Refused Wellington Public House Licenses.

The question of the action of the Cook Licensing Committee in refusing the Licenses lor three Wellington hotels, has been brought under the review of the Supreme Court. His Honor, Mr Justice Richmond, after bearing tbs arguments of counsel on behalf of the hotel keepers, remarked;:— " The general broad principle on which the case would have to be decided was this—Here was a question of great importance which in the public interest had to be decided by somebody ; whether the licensing of a house or houses in a certain neighborhood were required or not. The question of necessity was one of opinion, and was one on which different men would hold different views. Some persons might consider that hotels 200 yards from each other were too great a distance apart, while on the other hand teetotallers might think that one hotel the whole length of Cuba street was too many. It seemed to him that the Legislature had appointed a separate tribunal to deal with the question, and such being the case his opinion was that the Supreme Court should not interfere. As the case at present stood, he did not see his way clear to take the matter out of the hands of the Licensing Bench. The Bench appeared to have arrived at a foregone conclusion, but bad rectified their position by the granting of an adjournment. He would take time to consider whether he should hear the Attorney- General on behalf of the Bench.

This is pretty conclusive. Judge Richmond will not interfere with the decision of the Cook Licensing Bench, and so the three hotels to which licenses were refused, will remain shut up permanently.