to "defend'' his name after Police claimed he was "not a fit and proper person to manage a nightclub''.

But the Liquor Licensing Authority, which met to consider the renewal of the Front Street club's liquor licence, refused to hear Mr. Eastmond who admitted the club's property had been seized.

Scandal, which is operated by Inter-Rest Management Ltd., was shut down by Supreme Court bailiffs last month due to non-payment of $62,000 in rent owed to the landlord, Brunswick Company.

But Mr. Eastmond yesterday said negotiations and discussions were ongoing between boards of directors of Inter-Rest Management Ltd. and Brunswick Company.

And he said he wanted to clear his name from the accusation made by Police.

However, Authority chairman the Wor. Will Francis said the tribunal was only concerned about the club's liquor licence.

Under section 18 of the Liquor Licensing Act, he pointed out, the Authority could not grant or transfer a licence for any premises which did not have a room for up to 50 people to dance at one time.

"It would seem that this hearing should be adjourned,'' Mr. Francis said.

"You can't get to first base right now.

"The liquor licence has to do with premises and if they (Inter-Rest Management Ltd.) are not in possession of premises, we would just be conducting a purely academic hearing.'' Central parishes Chief Insp. Larry Smith agreed.

He said Police objections to the liquor licence renewal would have been "stronger'' than their opposition earlier this week to the liquor licence renewals of Clay House Inn, Spinning Wheel, and the Oasis nightclubs.

"But'', Chief Insp. Smith said, "we would like to present our case to its fullest (at a later date), rather than starting it and having it adjourned.'' He said Police were challenging Mr. Eastmond's character "as a result of the many things that have occurred'' at the nightclub.

Last year, Mr. Eastmond and Inter-Rest Management Ltd. were each fined $300 for allowing an "indecent performance'' to take place at Scandal on Father's Day in 1991.

The show featured nude American dancers and three local dancers who stripped down to G-strings and pasties which just covered their breast nipples.

Despite the conviction, Mr. Eastmond maintained that he had done nothing wrong.

And yesterday he asked: "If negotiations break down (between the club operators and the owners), does that mean that that accusation of not being a fit and proper manager just hangs in the air without my chance to defend it?'' "If you want to challenge that, you better get some legal advice,'' Mr.

Francis replied.

But, Mr. Eastmond argued that Police made the accusation before the Authority tribunal.

"This is the only place I can defend it,'' he said. "In event that Scandal does not re-open, what can I do?''.

"I'm not interested in hearing about Scandal nightclub if it does not open,'' Mr. Francis retorted. Mr. Francis adjourned yesterday's hearing, pending the outcome of talks between the nightclub's operators and the building's owners.