IMPROPERLY CONDUCTED.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 916, 26 September 1907, Page 21

IMPROPERLY CONDUCTED.

Ths inquiry by the Christchurch Licensing Committee into the allegations concerning the control and conduct of the new Criterion Hotel was concluded last week. . Jessie Green stated that she was the wife of the licensee of the Criterion Hotel. Jessie Moir had been employed by her husband for about three years and ahalf. She was discharged in July last for -having been drunk. Witness saw Miss Moir before the present case opened, and asked her what was the character of the statement she had made. Miss Moir said she could not remember, as she had taken some whisky before making the statement, but her she.could not promise-.'to do‘ ! sB y until tffe; dase ifwh|, over. There-v^aS'’nb>”ti?tith irtMjhfi^sM&lP’s statement before the committee that witness had offered her a. “tenner” to go back on her statement. Is it true that you ha,ve.taken drink up to the girls’ bedrooms? Never in my life. ■?’ 'j ' ' . , 1 ' Or had any knowledgej that such was being . done?—Nfever !* ' ’ Did you dismiss one or two barmaids that got drunk?—Yes, Miss Randolf. She got drunk once in your house? — She went away'sober, and when she came back she was drunk. I discharged her on the Monday morning afterward. She was’ ordered out of the bar three or four times on a Saturday* afternoon. It has been stated that it was the practice when anybody came in with, say a £5 note, to ring the bell, and that- jou told the girls to- : keep such customers going?—That is a lie. There is no truth whatever in it. ' In reply to Mr. Stringer, witness said that the girl Moir had been discharged several times for being drunk, and that other girls were discharged for drunkenness. It was the rule that barmaids were subject to instant ’’dismissal if they' got drunk in the bar 1 . l Shd 'had-dever heard them ask customers to shout champagne lor them. You never suggested to 'any' of 'the customers that they should treat these girls to a bottle of wine ? —Certainly not. ’ r The man Allen has said that you were constantly asking him to shout champagne?—He is teljipg a jiel The committee’retired, to consider their decision, and on resuming the chairman made the following" announcement: — “The committee are unanimously of opinion that the house has been improperly conducted, and that neither Mr. Green nor Mrs. Green are fit and proper persons to have the Conduct of a licensed house. As the outcome of that, they are not prepared at this moment to say what their action will be, but they will adjourn this sitting for seven, days., to enable the parties' to consider the position in regard .0 innocept parties.”