THE WESTLAND PUBLICHOUSE AMENDMENT ACT, 1869.

West Coast Times, Issue 1287, 6 November 1869, Page 3

THE WESTLAND PUBLICHOUSE AMENDMENT ACT, 1869.

To the Editor of the West Coast Times nnd Observer.

Sir — As there seems to be a great doubt in the minds of many men in Hokitika with regard to the provisions of' the above Act, and as a large and influential interest is most immediately concerned, I have carefully perused its provisions in order to ascertain whether those licensees who have conducted their establishments in a satisfactory manner, but whose term of license expires between the quarterly licensing meetings of December and May, should be compelled to pay the renewable fee (£3O) two or three months (as the case may be) before the legal expiration of the same. Now, sir, without any pretensions to legal acquirements, but merely taking a common-sense view of the subject, and not repugnant to the provisions of the Act j itself, I do not hesitate to state that the best mode to settle the question is that the aforesaid licensees should (if recommended by the Inspector of Police, concurrent with His Worship G. G. FitzGerald, E-q., R.M.) have an interim license granted them on payment to the County Treasurer such a sum in proportion to the period intervening between such expiration and the annual licensing meeting in May. I think such a settlement of the question would be satisfactory to all parties, and tend to calm down much of the excitement that at present exists in-the minds of those who consider that a wrong is about to be inflicted upon them, without any indiscretion on their part. I quote below the 20th and 24th sections, which are the chief ones that bear upon the case. Trusting that his Worship will take the same favorable view of the subject as characterises his usual upright dcci' sions, I remain, Sir, Yours, &c, JOHN CROSS. Hokitika, November 5. [" Section 20.— 0n the first Tuesday in May in every year there shall be held, at the Resident Magistrate's Court House of each of the said towns, a meeting, called the annual licensing meeting, and on the first Tuesday in the months of Septembei', December, aud March, in each year, there shall be held at the said Court House a meeting, called the quarterly licensing meeting, for the purpose of taking into consideration such applications as aforesaid, and three Justices shall form a quorum at any such meeting, and the senior Justice in the Commission of the Peace shall preside thereat. Provided always that any such meeting as aforesaid may be continued by adjournment from time to time at such place or places as the Justices- present shall determine." "Section 24. — The Resident Magistrates of the said towns shall forthwith transmit every license granted to the County Treasurer, and shall also further notify to such person to whom a license shall have been granted, that such license is ready to be issued, and such Treasurer shall issue the license to the licensee upon his application for the same, and upon payment of the sum in the said Ordinance and this Act prescribed as the fee for such license, according to the nature thereof, and such Treasurer shall endorse on each license so issued by him a receipt for the sum paid to him in respect thereof. I '] P.S.— All the sections, from 16 to 24, both inclusive, apply only to Hokitika and Greymouth,