XN000022-1984-11-21 — Page 23

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MENESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1984

IN THE AUTHORITY'S VIEW, THE LEGISLATURE HAD PROVIDED ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS IN THE PLACES OF AMUSEMENT (NT) REGULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT GOOD ORDER COULD BE MAINTAINED AND THAT THE OBJECTIONS AS CONVEYED TO HIM BY THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER WERE NOT STRONGLY HELD.

+ THE LICENSING AUTHORITY ACCORDINGLY APPROVED THE ISSUE OF THE LICENCE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN HEALTH AND FIRE SAFETY CONDITIONS BEING MET AND THE APPLICANT WAS SO ADVISED, MR BRAY SAID.

THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, THE DISTRICT LAND OFFICER AND THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES HAD OFFERED NO OBJECTIONS TO THE PROPOSED SALOON, PROVIDED, IN THE CASE OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CERTAIN FIRE SAFETY CONDITIONS WERE MET, MR BRAY POINTED OUT.

BUT HE QUOTED THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER AS SAYING, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS OF MAYFAIR GARDENS HAVE BEEN CONSULTED

AND THEY DO NOT FAVOUR THE IDEA OF ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC BILLIARD SALOON AT (THESE) PREMISES.+

THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER WENT ON TO SAY THAT THOSE RESIDENTS WHO HAD BEEN CONSULTED FEARED THE PRESENCE OF A BILLIARD SALOON WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT AND THAT UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS GANG FIGHTS AND NOISE MIGHT AFFECT LAW AND ORDER IN THIS RESIDENTIAL AREA.

THE LICENSING AUTHORITY THEN CALLED FOR A FURTHER INSPECTION AND WAS SATISFIED WITH THE +SUFFICIENT DEGREE OF SEGREGATION+ AS WELL AS THE FACT THERE WAS A SEPARATE ACCESS.

MR BRAY EXPLAINED THAT FOR THESE AND OTHER REASONS THE LICENSING AUTHORITY HAD APPROVED THE ISSUE OF THE LICENCE, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN HEALTH AND FIRE SAFETY CONDITIONS BEING MET. THE APPLICANT HAD THUS BEEN ADVISED.

+ IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE APPLICANT'S CONTRACTOR STARTED TO MAKE THE PREMISES READY FOR DEVELOPMENT INTO THE BILLIARD SALOON THAT THE 'EXPRESS WISHES OF MANY RESIDENTS', TO QUOTE DR FANG'S WORDS, BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED.

+ THE LICENSING AUTHORITY'S LEGAL ADVICE IS THAT ONCE AN ASSURANCE HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE APPLICANT THAT A PUBLIC BILLIARD SALOON LICENCE WILL BE ISSUED TO HIM PROVIDED HE MEETS THE HEALTH AND FIRE SAFETY CONDITIONS, THIS CANNOT THEN BE WITHDRAWN, EVEN IF THE LICENSING AUTHORITY WOULD WISH TO RECONSIDER HIS ORIGINAL DECISION,+ MR BRAY SAID.

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