309 Mass. 244 | Mass. | 1941
The petitioner was granted a license by the respondent board to keep, store and sell gasoline and denatured alcohol upon certain premises in Boston which were owned or occupied by him. He failed to file on or before April 30, 1940, a certificate showing the name and address of the holder of the license, but tendered such a certificate, with the proper fee, to the appropriate official, on May 21, 1940, and the latter refused to accept and file it. The respondent board notified him on May 28, 1940, that a public hearing would be held on June 6, 1940, on the revocation of his license. Such a hearing was held and the board voted to revoke the license, and notified the petitioner of its action. The single justice dismissed the petition for certiorari, subject to the exceptions of the petitioner.
The only question raised before the single justice was whether the failure of the petitioner to file, on or before
The petition does not allege, and the return does not show, that the petitioner has ever used the premises for the purposes authorized by the license. The license was a personal privilege, which would not attach and run with the land until the privilege conferred had been exercised. Hanley v. Cook, 245 Mass. 563. Commonwealth v. Willcutt, 259 Mass. 406. Saxe v. Street Commissioners of Boston, 307 Mass. 495.
A license granted under G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 148, § 13, as amended, to keep, store and sell gasoline is subject to revocation for cause by the licensing authorities, and the right of the licensee to enjoy the privileges conferred by the license is subordinate to the power inherent in the licensing authorities to terminate the privileges whenever there is cause, sufficient in law, for the revocation of the license. Newcomb v. Aldermen of Holyoke, 271 Mass. 565. Higgins v. License Commissioners of Quincy, 308 Mass. 142. The exercise of the power is dependent upon the existence of a legal cause. Arbitrary action by the licensing authorities is not justified by the statute nor consistent with natural justice or fair play. Commonwealth v. Moylan, 119 Mass. 109. General Baking Co. v. Street Commissioners of Boston, 242 Mass. 194. Sweeney v. School Committee of Revere, 249 Mass. 525. White Fuel Corp. v. Street Commissioners of Boston, 289 Mass. 337.
The licensing statute, which was enacted under the police power, Storer v. Downey, 215 Mass. 273; St. James Building Corp. v. Commissioner of Public Safety, 260 Mass. 548, expressly provides that "The owner or occupant of said
General principles governing the revocation of licenses to keep, store and sell gasoline have been set forth in our decisions, although none of them dealt with the specific cause on which the present revocation is based. They show the necessity of compliance with the licensing statute for the prevention of a fire hazard. Marcus v. Commissioner of Public Safety, 255 Mass. 5. St. James Building Corp. v. Commissioner of Public Safety, 260 Mass. 548. Standard Oil Co. of New York v. Commissioner of Public Safety, 274 Mass. 155. Selectmen of Saugus v. Mathey, 305 Mass. 184. N. V. Handel Industrie Transport Maatschappij v. State Fire Marshal, 305 Mass. 482.
The petitioner was seasonably notified of and attended the hearing before the respondent board. He raised no question before the board concerning the notice, and he does not contend that he was not fully heard on the question of revoking the license on account of the failure to file a certificate of registration. If the notice was insufficient he cannot now complain. The return does not show that he requested specifications or sought any additional infor
Exceptions overruled.