Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-06-25
ROBERTSON R0ASTS
POLICY OF BOARD
License Commissioners
Acting In Arbitrary
Manner

The liquor men did not have things
all their own way at the public hearing
before the License Board yesterday at
ternoon. The caustic criticism by
members of the Board of the Anti
Saloon element who stayed away from
the previous meeting appears to have
had it's effect, for there was quite a
bunch of Leaguers present yesterday,
among them being w. O. Smith, James
A. Rath, j. NJ. Martin, G. r. Edwards,
P. l.. Ryder and Lyle A. Dickey. How
ever, the numerous passages at arms
that took place were not as rule be-
tween the saloon men and the ants
but between attorneys for various APP
plicants for licenses and members Of
the Board.
A. G.. M. Robertson was the central
figure in a number of these tits, and
criticized very severely what he char
acterized as the arbitrary rulings of
the Board and its arrogance to Itself
OF undue power. He limited very
strongly that the matter is liable to
end in the courts, which may be called
upon to test the Boards apparent be-
lief that it has absolute power to grant
or refuse licenses and to impose what
restrictions it will upon saloons.
Twenty-three applications were con-
sdered, there being no objection to
most of them All the applicants were
either present in person or represented
by counsel.
Johnny Martin made the first objec-
ton Speaking for Mills Institute he
did not think a license should be
granted to the Mint saloon on Nuuanu
street, as it is too near the college.
Rath objected to the renewal of Joe
Clarks license on the ground that the
saloon is co9ducteu DIS no saloon
should be conducted. He charged that
there is much drunkenness of both
men and women there and that the
place is bad one generally.
Joe couldn't see it that way, even
though w. O. Smith sided with Rain.
He admitted that he allowed women in
his cafe, but denied that they got
drunk there. If they get drunk, they
must do it somewhere else and then
come to his place. Clark said he had
.ever been convicted Of violating the
law in cunning his saloon. A written
protest against the granting of lie
ense to Clark was read.
A. G. NJ Robertson, representing
several Ca the Fishmarket saloon keep
els, made vigorous attack on the
Boards announced policy of granting
no licenses for the market district.
He thought it an outrage that the
Board should refuse licenses to nis
clients and yet grant one to Frank
Harvey, whose saloon is only a few
PAGES farther from the market. The
Board Is given discretion under the
law, he said, but it is not an absolute
power of caprice. There is no reason
able public policy in rule fixing an
arbitrary line on one side of which
saloons may be granted licenses and
on the other side not, without paying
any attention to conduct and manage
ment"
Robertson wanted to know if there
mad been produced any evidence that
Inc drunken men reported as congre-
eating near the Fishmarket get their
booze from the saloons of that district.
He though it as reasonable to suppose
that they got the liquor elsewhere and
inen came to the market after they
had got drunk
According to that, we ought to close
up all the saloons" said Chairman Bal
lentyne.
1T wouldn't make any difference to
me personally, replied Robertson,
and | don't suppose it would to the
members of the Board"