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Discussion of the landlord's character, Ship Inn

Source: Cardigan Observer 18 Sept 1897       Date: 1897
Copyright:       Type: Newspaper
Description:

Transcript:
CASE AGAINST THE SHIP INN, ABERPORTH. Deputy Chief Constable Williams, who appeared to conduct the case on behalf of the police, after stating briefly the grounds of objection, called on the police officer stationed at the village to give evidence. P.C. Davies said that he had, at the request of the Chief Constable, cautioned the landlord, Capt. ¡ David Jones, that the renewal of his licence would be opposed. He replied, I don't care. I shall be better off. I shall leave the house, and go to sea again." The landlord and his wife drank to excess occasionally. To his knowledge there had been continual rows in the house between him and his wife. Cross-examined by Mr W. E. George, New- castle-Emlyn, who appeared on benalf of the applicant, the officer stated that he had been stationed at Aberporth three years and a half, and had no occasion to summon the landlord of the Ship." At all events, he had not been summoned, though he should have been. Capt. Jones had held the licence for seven years. There had been no complaint against the house before, though it had been in existence for many years. The conduct of the landlord had improved during the present year, but there were general complaints against the way the house was being con- ducted. Mr George objected to the use of the word general," as specific charges should be brought. He wished the officer to name persons who had complained to him, and thus prove the charges. The officer did not think it prudent to do so, as they were private persons. Mr George contended that, according to a case decided on in the Higher Courts, the police were obliged to disclose the place they were in hiding when watching a public house. That, he thought, applied in the present case. The Magistrates' Clerk ruled that it did not, and if sources of police information were disclosed in open court, the channel of information would be closed. He would advise the Magistrates not to press for names. Cross-examination continued He had seen the applicant not in a fit state to conduct the business. He had reported the case three or four times to his superior officer during the year. He had seen the landlord and wife in the same state, and had cautioned them. Capt. Jones was respected in the village, and had held responsible positions at sea. Mr George, on behalf of the applicant, pointed out that the charges preferred were not of a serious nature only overstepping the bounds occasionally, as publicans were prone to do-otherwise the police would have taken steps to punish him for the alleged offences. With the object of showing how trivial the offences were, and how the applicant stood in the estimation of his neighbours, he produced an address to the bench, stating that Capt Jones was a fit and proper person to conduct the Ship Inn, and signed by men of position and influence, such as Messrs Joshua Hughes, C.C., Thomas Thomas, Plas Evan Williams, Ffynon- fair Rev. R. Berriman, &c. He was aware that the Magistrates were invested with power to refuse the renewal of the licence, but that would have to be done judicially; and as there had been no con- viction in the present case, he hoped the licence would be renewed for the ensuing year, so as to give an opportunity for the landlord to conduct the house as it should be. The Bench having deliberated for some time, and the public re-admitted, the Chairman stated that they had given the application and objection their fullest consideration, and had been led to take a lenient view because the police had not thought proper to prosecute when the alleged offences took place. The licence would be renewed for the ensuing year and the bench hoped that the police would, whenever the landlord or his wife would be found in an intoxicated state, summon them for the offence. If such a charge would be brought against them a renewal of the licence would be refused.
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Linked to
Ship Inn , Aberporth