ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3177, 19 April 1871, Page 2

ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING.

« Tuesday, April 18. (Before J. Woodward, W. Dorset, D. Lewis, ! C. J. Pharazyn, W. Seed, Esq., J.P.s ; Major Paul, and Major Edwards.) Before proceeding with the businesß the Bench said the usual rule would be observed. If applicants wore not in attendance when called upon, fchey would be plaoed at the bottom of the list. Allowance would be made only in fche case of those publicans who had to come from tho Hutfc and other places, and who might bo detained by the bad roads. A special application was made for a license for the Albion Hotel. The Bench refused to entertain fche application owing to its informality, bufc allowed it to be amended. AIBION HOTBI/. The applicant was then put in the box to prove thafc a person to whom the license had been originally granted had been legally ejected, and thafc he had refused to transfer the ' license to him. Tlie house had been sold by t lie Crown, was purchased by Mr Nathan, and the occupant of the house at that time agreed to transfer the license on the 17th of April ; bufc oti being applied to carry oufc hia agreement, he refused fco transfer fche license without reoeiving £ICO bonus. Ho had been offered a fair proportion of the license money he had paid, bub refused it. Application granted to Eaymond Power Collins. country houses. On the representation of Mr N, Valentine tho country applicants wero allowed to have precedence in making application. The following licenses were then granted: — Albion Hotel, Hutt, to Samuel Death; Aglionby Arms, Hutt, Nathaniel Valentine; Highland Home, TJpperHutfc, John Wilkins; Whitewood's Hotel Hutt, John M'Donald; Osgood's Family Hotel. Hufcfc, Richard Forester Petfcer. With respect to this house, the Bench asked the Inspector if he had made enquiries as authorised. He bad, and found that the instance referred ' to waß a solitary one, and an exceptional case, being on the occasion of a Maori parting. The Bench said they had on one occasion witnessed such a noisy scene as they had never heard before in any house in the settlement. ' They had thereupon instructed fche Inspector to make inquiries, because if such disgraceful scenes were common they could not possibly 1 continue the license to the house ; but on the assurance fchat ifc was a solitary \instance the license was granted. Licenses were then granted to tho following other country houses: — Wallace's Hotel, Ngahauranga, James Futter ; Travellers' Best, Taita, Henry Churchfi*; Ngahauranga Hotel, Ngahaurangu, Wm. Clapbam. city houses. Tho following licenses for houses in the cifcy were granted : — The Criterion, Lambton Quay ; Hercules Burdetfc. The Duke of Edinburgh Hotel—Mr BuckIcy appeared on behalf of fche applicant. The Inspector of Police opposed tbe granting of the license. Mr Baker, Clerk of the Court, was placed in the box to prove fche depositions taken down by Mr J. C. Crawford in the case " Newton v Hall ;" but Mr Buckley objected to the depositions being received, and the witness had to givo evidence from memory, as fco certain gross language used by Hall as defendant. Tho Inspector cited the various occasions on which tho plaintiff had appeared in the Court. Mr Buckley admitted the fact that much of tho conduct of his client had been rather reprehensible, though in the cases in which he had appeared beforo the Courfc the other parties were not guiltless. He had no wish to shield hia olibiit's character in any way, who he believed was now in the path of roform, but whatever infirmities of temper he possessed, nothing could, at least, be said against his house, which was a useful, well kept, and well appointed establishment. Besides, his client had laid out a greafc deal of money in tho improvement of fche property, and had be« come more than half owner ; and to deprive him of his license would prove a great hardship. After some consultation, the Bench said ifc was with regret they could not refuse to re-is-ue tho license in this ease ; but such was the state of the law on fche matter. They, however, felt so strongly the necessity for the Bench having control in such cases, thafc they intended to make representations to the Government. They mighfc cay, however, that had they this power they should certainly have exercised it in this case by refusing the license. License granted. Licenses were then granted to — Coach and Horses, Manners street, John Barlow ; Thistle Inn, Mulgrave street, James Richard Browne ; the Princess Hotel, Molesworth street, Jamea Cat. el ; Express Hotel, Cuba street, James Chisholm ; Queen's Head, Molesworth street, George Henry Clapham ; the Branch, Lambton Quay, Sydney Diamond ; Rutland Hotel, Tinakori road, William Diamond ; the Union Hotel, Willis streot, Peter Donecker ; Royal Oak Hotel, .-tanners street, Wm. G. Emeny; the Royal Hotel, Lambton Quay, Charles Hatfield ; The European Hotel, Lambton Quay : Carl Hausemann ; Kennedy's Hotel, Willis street, Mary Ann Kennedy ; Mechanics' Club, Willis street, Charles Augusts Kingge ; Wellington Hotel, Molesworth street, John Maginnity ; Pier Hotel, Grey street, G. Martin ; Globe Hotel, Adelaide road, Henry Milward ; Royal Tiger, Mount Cook, William Mitchell ; Osgood's Empire Hotel ; Philip Moeller ; New Zealander Hotel, Manners street, John MTntosh ; Commercial Hotel, Lambton Quay, William Miller; Panama Hotel, Taranaki street, Jas. Nesbitfc; Galatea Hotol, Thos. Nicholas; Prince of Wale. Hotel, Thos North. MELBOUHNE hotel. On tho application for tho Melbourne Hotel by Samuel Parkes, the Inspector of Police objected to fche granting of the license, and reminded the Bench of tho way in which the house was kept, and placed Mr M'Lean, a next-door neighbor, in the box, who said the noise was frequently unbearable ; often ho heard something iiko comio songs being roue d oufc by drunken sailors on Sundays. Ifc was not uncommon to see fighting going on in tbe house, and occasionally finishing it up out in the streot at past one and two in tho morning. He had frequently complained to Mr Parkes ; but he said he did all he could to keep the place orderly. Mr Borlase, who appeared for applicant, crossexamined this witness : On a Sunday morning botwoen one and two o'clock, about fivo or six months slues, a fight was going on in the house, and tho combatant* were turnod oufc into the street. By the Bench : 1 wish to convey to the Bench the idea fchafc tlio general oharacter of the house is disorderly. The disturbance was not oaused by man of- war sailors. Bergeanfc Monaghan deposed : I had occasion several times fco caution Mr Parkes for keeping his house open after hours, and the constables have comp'amod of fche same cir,cumstance. I havo heard of several complaints about the disorderly character of the house. I have seen people in the house not of good oharacter who said they wero lodgers, bufc were not, and who wero afterwards seen to leavo the houso. Mr Borlase conten_e_ there —ras no reason shown to deprive tho houßO of a license altogether, though the Bench might think it right to refuse an extended license. In reply to the Bench, fcho Inspector of Police said the general character of the houae and of a great many of those who frequented it was not good. The Bench said that if what had been proved against the house had happened before the hour of ten they would have refused tha license altogether; but as it had happened after hours they would grant a short license; oven that wdb done with reluctance, and fche house would be subject to a keen supervision. Licenses were then granted to the following houses :— Crown and Anohor Hotel, James Prosser ; Provincial Hotol, Molesworth street, Daniel Rivers; Exchange Hotel, Lorens Reisterer ; Victoria Hotel, Abel Smith street, Robert Somerville; Bank Hotel, Manners Btreet, Ellen Spray ; Foresters' Arms, Ghuanee

etreet, John Valentine ; Nelson Hotel, Lamb ton Quay, Thos. Wilson ; White Swan, Cuba Btreet, Mary Ann Winkley : -Nelson Ale House, William White; Cricketers Arms, Tory street, John Albert Chancy; Clyde Hotel, Wm. Edwards; Rainbow Tavern, Kaiwarra, John Herbert Street ; Waterloo Hotel, Kaiwarra, Wm. Donald ; Nag's Head, William James Richards; Prince of Wales, John Thompson j Metropolitan Hotel, Thos. Urwin, Molesworth sfcreefc. Owing to tho absence of Mr Isaac Plimmer, the applicant for Barrett's Hotel, the case was adjourned till thafc day fortnight. The Bench, however, expressed fcheir dissatisfaction at the discourtesy shown by tho applicant nofc appearing The Bench then adjourned.