A LICENSEE’S LIABILITIES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 894, 25 April 1907, Page 21

A LICENSEE’S LIABILITIES.

In the Wellington Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, before Dr. McArthur, S.M., an action was heard between the owners of an hotel at Otaki (recently burned down) against the lessee, who was also the licensee, for £172 I 7 S cost of repairs ordered by the Licensing Committee. The owners were Hugo William Wollerman and Walter Freeman, both of Wellington, and the licensee was Thomas Messiter. From the evidence it appeared that under the lease the defendant was bound “to do, execute, and perform all acts, deeds, and things necessary to comply with the requirements of any licensing committee of the district within which the said hotel and premises are situated; and the lessee will immediately upon demand pay to the lessor all moneys expended by the lessor for any such purpose during the continuance of the lease, with interest at the rate of per centum per annum.” The trouble began in June of last year, when the Licensing Committee for Otaki discussed the need of repairs to the hotel. At an adjourned meeting in the following month they ordered certain repairs to be done forthwith, and others to be executed before the next annual meeting (next June), otherwise the license would not be renewed. The repairs to be done forthwith were not executed by the licensee, and the owners (the plaintiffs) had the work done in September. The cost of that work was the amount for which they now sued him. The lease expired in January. It was stated in evidence that the owners were trying to sell the goodwill of another ten years’ lease at £3 a week, for Hugo Wollerman in his evidence said that *when the Licensing Committee showed some hesitation in renewing the license the Alliance Insurance Company immediately cancelled the insurance. The case was adjourned till to-day.