§ (1) For the purpose of this Act, the renewal of a justices' licence means the grant of a justices' licence at a general annual licensing meeting by way of renewal.
§ (2) The holder of a justices' licence applying for the renewal of his justices' licence need not attend in person at the general annual licensing meeting unless he is required by the licensing justices to attend, and he shall not be required so to attend save for some special cause personal to himself.
§ (3) Subject to the provisions of this section, the licensing justices shall not, where the holder of a justices' licence applies for the renewal of his license, entertain any objection to or take any evidence with respect to the renewal thereof unless written notice of an intention to oppose 1382 the renewal of the licence stating in general terms the grounds on which the renewal is opposed, has been served on the holder thereof not less than seven days before the commencement of the general annual licensing meeting.
§ (4) The licensing justices may, notwithstanding that no notice of intention to oppose the renewal of a justices' licence has been given, on an objection being made to the renewal, adjourn the consideration of the renewal to a future day fixed by them (whether more or less than one month from the date of the original general annual licensing meeting), and require the attendance of the holder of the licence on that day when the case will be heard and the objection considered as if notice to oppose had been given.
§ (5) Where the licensing justices, on an application for the renewal of an old on-licence, as defined in the Second Schedule to this Act, ask the holder of a licence to give any undertaking, they shall adjourn the hearing of the application, and cause notice of the undertaking for which they ask to he served upon any registered owner of the premises, and give him an opportunity of being heard.
§ (6) The licensing justices shall not, where the holder of a justices' licence applies for the renewal of his licence, receive any evidence with respect to the renewal of the licence which is not given on oath.
§ Amendment proposed: In Sub-section (1) after the word "renewal" to insert the words "of a similar licence which is in force in respect of the premises at the date of the application.
§ "Provided that where an application is made for the grant of a licence in respect of premises in respect of which a similar licence is not in force at the date of the application but was in force at the date of the general annual licensing meeting in the previous year, the application shall be treated as an application for the renewal of a licence, and the grant of a licence in pursuance of the application shall be treated as a renewal of the licence, if the licensing justices are satisfied that the applicant had reasonable cause for not making his application at the previous general annual licensing meeting."—[Mr. Simon.]
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause, as amended, added to the Bill.
§ Clauses 17 to 21 inclusive added to the Bill.