LICENSING MEETING.

West Coast Times, Issue 1329, 25 December 1869, Page 4 (Supplement)

LICENSING MEETING.

The County Chairman attended at his office yesterday, for the purpose of dispwsing of those applications which had been allowed to renew from the first licensing meeting, and owing to the want of a quorum of Justices, were unable to be heard at the adjourned nu'itina. Mr Mar v ey attended to op;os • the granting of several license-, lioth in his capacity as County Solici or, and also on behali of several licensed victuallers of the town. Sergeant Major Hickson attended for the purpose of producing evidence against the granting of the licenses. The first applicant called upon was, Jno. Crouch, Steam Packet Hotel. Mr South appeared on behalf of the applicant, and stated why the application had been adjourned. In doing so, he would state that the Licensing Act was a most extraordinary one. In this instance he would not say but that the house was too small for the business of an hotel-keeper, but the Act required no certain number of rooms. He would prove that his el'ent was a respectable person, and fit to hold a licence, and that the house had not, as stated, been frequented by thieves and prostitutes ; but if such characters came to the bar and requested drink, he considered it would be against the publican's interest not to serve them, but he would contend that was not " a frequenting ; but if, on the other hand, the licensee allowed such characer* to sit down in the house, or lounge about it, then he considered that such a person was totally unfit to hold a licence. He would produce a testimonial in favor of Mr Crouch, signed by the nearest neighbors. Mr Crouch would also put in a nspectfully addressed letter, asking that his licence might be granted, and that he would conform to any regulation in the management of his house which the police might think necessary. A gnod deal was thought, and very properly so, of police reports, but these must be received with caution, as sometimes that information as ghen to the Justices was mere hearsay, or as the police termed it, from lt information received." Ile^jould put in the memorial and the letter. Mr Harvey would oppose the granting of the license, and would prove that the house was the haunt of improper characters. Detective Browne said he knew the applicant's house. The a< commodation was small, and the persons who frequent it were principally persons of very improper character, man}' of them had been convicted thieves. Mr and Mrs Crouch were quiet, sober people. Witness had been a publican, and although he mighf have served such characters as he described with drink, he would not have bar- ! bored them, or allowed them to habitually frequent the place. By Mr — Tf any bad characters came in for a drink I would have served them and then ordered them out. I would not let them sit down. Mr Hoos said that owing to the want of a quorum in the Resident Magistrate's Court, he had been obliged to adjudicate on the matter of the adjourned licenses. He had determined to grant Crouch's license for the reason that no such strin- ! •fent Act had hitherto existed. He would, I however, tell the applicant that he must keep the house respectable, and should he not do so, on a report from the police, the license would >c cancelled. Such chaiacters as those alluded to must not be allowed to loiter about, but must leave after being served. On these conditions the license would be granted. John Vincent, Terminus Hotel. Mr South read a petition, signed by all of the applicant's neighbors and many re«pectable business men in town. He (Mr South) also stated that his client had held a license for two and a-half years. In the first place, the police hid stated that the houbw \:is in a dilapitated condition ; that was not the case now ; the house is now perfectly clean. Mr Harvey would oppose the application, and wou'd produce evidence in support of the' former refusal. Detective Browne said he knew Vincent's Hotel. A man had once reported that he was robbed in the house of £10. Had gone to the hotel to make inquiries into the matter, and was satisfied that the man had been robbed there, but there wa* uot sufficient evidence to prove it so as to convict, Witness was unable to identify the money, ax it was in £1 notes Witness knew that a woman of bad character was staying in the house until a short time since. Witness had nothing to say against the applicant, and knew very little of Mr Vincent. The man said he got drunk in the house, and went to bed. At that time he had his money. Witness did not know whether applicant turned the woman out of the house or not when he found out her character. Mr Hoos said there had been certain aspersions thrown on applicant's character, or rather the charactor of his house, at the first licensing meeting, but as the m&tter had been left in his hands, and for the riason that the law had not previously been very stringent, he would not b? harsh with applicant, and would grant him his license, but thp applicant must take notice, and be cautious that his hou«e was conducted in a proper msnner for the future, otherwise the license would be cancelled. Daniel Quatlri, West Coast Hotel. Mr j South appeared for this applicant, and said ; that it hnd been stated that his house was | a brothel ; he could prove it was nothing jof the kind. The applicant once took a 1 house that had a bad name attached to it, and he had been in bad odor ever since. The applicant had only been in his present house three weeks before he made application for the license, and there could not have been much impropriety in that time, j He would produce a certificate from the Syndic or Mayor of Mr Quadri's native place, Lugano, in the Swiss Confederation, I and also a letter or certificate from Tnspector Broham, dated March 2, 1868, stating that applicant had conducted the West Coast Hotel in a proper manner for two years. The house which it was said was in bad repair was now in first-rate order, and the app'icant intended to keep the house most res-, ectably. Mr Harvey sad. he would strongly oppose the granting of this license, and

called Sergeant- Major Iliclcson, who stated that he had known Quadri for four years. The house he kept was known as a common brothel. Had seen prostitutes in the house the second evening it had been opined^" There was a woman in the bar that had been brought from Melbourne by applicant. Saw a woman of ill-fame drunk in bed iv the house. The woman was in the bouse until it was closed. She is not a reformed character by repute. The woman said she had been sent for by applicant, and came from Melbourne. Detect'Ve Browne — Knew applicant. The house was a nest of prostitutes. There ~"*~ wore two living at the back or' the premises that was connected with the hotel. Had seen repeatedly a number of prostitutes in the hotel, laying about on the sofa. The house is little better *han a house of illfame. By Mr South — Quadri bears a good character. Witness never saw any men with the women. By Mr Harvey Witness did not know ! much about Mrs Quadri; but did not think it proper that the landlady should mix up with a number of prostitutes. Sergeant Hams said the house was the res >rt of prostitutes. Witness knew nothing again>t Quadri, The applicant, in answer to Mr Hoos, said there was no communication between the hott-1 and back premises ; and that he would allow the police to inspect the house at any time, and also act up to any suggestions they might offer. Mr Hoos said he would grant the licence conditionally, that the applicant closed up all conitrvanication between his house and the back premises, aad also that the police should have access at all hours. Applicant appeared to he of good character;. but that was not sufficient, he would be made responsible for the good conduct of his house, and if not well conducted, his licence ~7 — would be cancelled. ! Michael Covancevich, Swiss Hotel. Mr South, for applicant, presented a memorial signed by a large number of neighbors and several merchants. • In reference to a woman on whom some imputation had been cast, his clie.it would admit that the woman had been in the house. She was the wife of a countryman, who had sent her to the Swiss Hotel" to stay, and had also sent money to keep her. The applicant, on learning that she was of loose habits, had given her the money and turned her out. Mr Harvey, in opposing the granting of the license, said he would prove the house was what had been stated, and called Detective Browne, who stated that a robbery had been committed in the house. On October 3, 1868, a man had been robbed of forty- two sovereigns. Witness could not positively state that applicant's wife was cognisant of it, but he felt certain she was. Prom the man's statement, Mis Covancevich had acted in a very unbecoming manner. Witnees had frequently seen I prostitutes in the house ;in fact, they bad" ' been living there. Had seen them drinking at early hours in the morning. Mr South said he would call evidence in favor of applicant. J. Linton said he was a merchant residing in. Revell-street, near the applicant. Had known him for two years. He bore a good character. t Never saw any disorderly pet sons about the house. Applicant had formerly been a customer of his, but was not so now. Had known him about two years and a half. Mr Ifoo< said he would grant tne applicant a license on the same conditions as the others — that he would conduct his house properly, and keep it clean. If applicant committed a breach of these things, his license would be cancelled. The names of the others whose licenses had been refused were called, but they did not put in an appearance. John Whitaker, Provincial Hotel. There was no opposition, and the license was granted.

The Grey River Argus, of last week, lias the following .- — •In corroboration and continuation of a letter which appeared in our last respecting the absence of a Warden at the Greenstone, we are informed that the same proceeding was, on Friday, repeated there through Mr Warden Shaw not putting in an appearance. His deputy, a trooper arrived at the last moment, and announced to the large number of interested parties awaiting the Warden's arrival that he could not come till Monday— consolation small in itself, and not heard without strong dissentient remarks at the unpardonable conduct of the dilatory servant of the V public. We can conceive no excuse sufficient to free Mr Shaw, or his alter ego, Mr Keogh, from an evident disinclinatian to incur any trouble in the due performance of their functions, when we consider that there have been awaiting their appearance at the Greenstone — one prisoner, who has been in prison 14 days awaiting trial for larceny as a.bailee ; a witness from the Ahaura, compelled to remain for a like period ; and another* woman witness, from the Grey, who has perforce been compelled to await there eight days. A case such as this needs no further' comment from us, as it is one that ought to be dealt with by a higher tribunal than that of public opinion." Another quartz reef has been discovered in the WaikareJValley, a branch of the Hurunui. A prospecting claim has been taken out in the names of Massrs Deßourbel, Tisch, and Orchard, and another party has applied for a claim in the said district. The Independent, of the 9th instant, has V the following :—": — " The following extract from * the London correspondent of Mr E. C. Keece, deserves the notice of all interested in the manufacture of flax : — ' By parcel (post) I send sample of flax wholly undressed, and lately sold at £31 per ton ; also, of some well-dressed Canterbury flax, which was recently valued at -£42 to .£44 per ton— but I rather think it was clone in London, from the aforesaid straw, by a Frenchman's machine, nearly perfected after many experiments and by which the raw New Zealand flax can be thoroughly cleaned with comparatively little waste, and made worth £42 to £48 per ton. He is sanguine of perfect success ; and although now unable to define a price for his machine, he exrects they will range between £100 to £150 each. Should the experiments on larger parcels of New Zealand flax, which are purposed this autumn, prove successful, would you incline to have one of these apparatus ? The New Zealand flax attracts increasing attention in the London market, and should prove an important export from each V province.' Messrs Pevcvt and Hett report as follows on New Zealand flax -.—' The sales during the month have comprised 385 hales. Otago, at £20 to £30 for second quality] dressed ; but strong fibre (one bale), well dressed, £.38. Also, fifty bales, Canterbury, at £31 ; and twenty-eight bales, Auckland, well dressed, at £38 15s. Pair roping "Manilla I hemp, is pow 525,"