From the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 13 September 1879.

OBJECTIONS TO THE RENEWAL OF LICENSES.

Superintendent Walker objected to the renewal of the license of the "Half-way House," on the Sturry Road, to George Hall, on the following grounds:— that he the said George Hall, made use of abusive, insulting and threatening language to Sergeant Knowlden when that officer went to the house on duty, and that he opened his house for the sale of liquor during prohibited hours on a Sunday.

Mr. R. W. Flint appeared in support of the application for the renewal.

Sergeant Knowlden was called and stated that he called at Hall’s house to see his dog license. Hall told him that he could not attend to him until after he had served his customers, and witness then went in a side room to wait his pleasure. Hall came to him and with an oath said “If you don’t come out of that room I will put you out. That’s my private room.” Witness said “Do you intend to show me your license?” Hall replied with an oath “Yes, but I am going to attend to my customers first.” He then went on serving customers and witness went into the ground, and he (Mr Flint) could not help thinking that the police had so acted from some private pique or malice against the applicant, who, perhaps, had not been so liberal to them as he might have been, and so they were trying to put their foot upon him. If the police had a charge against the man in respect of this particular Sunday why did they not summon him in the usual way? They had brought one case against him in that way, but it was dismissed.

The Chairman said the Bench were of opinion that this was a very proper case to bring before them. They did not consider that any offence had been committed with reference to the visit of the sergeant to see the dog license, and perhaps it was not necessary to have imported that matter into the case. The license would be renewed, but the applicant must be very cautious as to his future conduct of the house. The bench could not understand how any publican could be hostile to the police, and happily but few of them were. A publican could never manage his house in a proper manner if it were not for the assistance or the police, and on that account alone they ought to welcome the presence of the police in their neighbourhood rather than resent it.