ANNUAL LICENSING COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 132, 4 June 1878, Page 2

ANNUAL LICENSING COURT.

[Before L Broad, Esq., H.M., J. W. Baknicoat, C. Hunter Broavn, ond W. Wells, Esqs., J.J.P., Commissioners.] The annual Licensing Court was held this rnorniug, when the following applications were received :— Nkw Hotel. George Thompson npplied for a license for the house at present occupied by him near the Odd-Fellows Hall, stating that he intended to expend £600 upon enlarging aud improving it. Application refused on the ground that no f urtber public-house accommodation was required in the neighborhood. Mr Fell appeared for the applicant. Globb Hotel. ■George Thomason and Mrs Simmr.ns each applied for a license for the Globe Hotel. Mr Pitt appeared for the former, and Mr Percy Adams for the latter. Mra Simmons is the owner of the house which is at present occupied by Mrs Bayiis, whose husband leased and obtained a license for it and theu deserted his wife and left the place. The lease does not expire until November, and contains a clause providing for a renewal. The applicant Thomason is Mrs Baylis's brother, and it was stated by Mr Pitt that there was some family arrangement between them by which Mrs Bayiis was to get a living out of the house, but that Thomasou was to be the license holder, and the responsible party to the Licensing Court and to the tradesmen. To the application the Inspector of Police had attached the following nole: — "George Thomason is unknown to the police here. The constable at Spring Grove reports that he does not bear a very good character iv that neighborhood." The police also objected to Mrs Bayiis, and on being uskod the renson why the luspector stated that it would be better if inquiries were uot pushed too far in that direction.

Mr Pitt urged that the Spring Grove constable ought to have beeu present, iv order that he might be examined as to what he knew of Tliornason, who, he (Mr Pitt) asserted, bore a good character, and had never in his life been before a magistrate. He would ask for an adjournment, in order that he might bring witnesses as to the character oi! his client.

After consulting among themselves, the Chairman stated that the Bench had decided to refuse bolh applications.

Mr Pitt : May I ask your Worship to give your reasons ?

The Chairman : No, we are not bound to giv« reasons.

Mr Pitt: But I contend that you are, as it may be considered advisable to take the matter before the Supreme Court.

The Chairman : We cannot disregard the police report, and are not bound to require strict proof of its correctness. We are not satisfied with the character of the applicant, and that is quite sufficient.

Mr Pitt: It is a most irregular proceeding. Masonic Hote~. Mr Pitt, on behalf of Robert Gilmer, applied for a transfer of the license of this hotel from Thomas Cother to his client. Application granted, the Chairman stating that there were no hotel keepers in New Zealand who bore a higher reputation than the Gilmer Brothers. Old Licenseb. All the old licenses were granted, the police reporting that the whole of the houses were well conducted. A pompous Scotch advocate succeeded in bemuddling a country witness by asking him whether he thought the prisoner was compos mentis. The witness could only grin and look foolish. At last the judge interposed, " Noo, just tell me, do ye thiuk is there ony thing in him ? " " De'il a thing," burst out the man, with a smile from ear to ear, " but what's put intil him wi' the spune ! "

An exposure of the kind of men who in &n Australian colony are considered good enough to represent the popular cause inTarliament hag taken place, as we learn by telegraph, at Adelaide. The Regis er has shown that Mr Frank Carroll, one of the recently elected members for Light, had some time ago to undergo the inconvenience of imprisonment in Melbourne for forging and uttering cheques. To this Mr Carroll replies that it is true he was in Melbourne Gaol, but pathetically pleads that " for one erring and unsophisticated act he should not be placed beyond the pale of pity." But the Rtqister returns to the subject, and shows that Mr Carroll had before committed a similar " unsophisticated act " at Sydney, where he received a sentence of two years' imprisonment. Now, we do not desire to say anything about this case as affecting Mr Carroll, beyond expressing the opinion that unsophisticated acts of this kind, if they ought not to place him beyond the pale of pity, may fairly be considered as placing him beyond the pale of Parliament. But how is it that they do not? The only answer is the utter indifference of a large part of the electors to the character of the men they send into Parliament to advocate their and aid in making laws for the whole community. We believe that we are right in saying that this is not wholly a Dew discovery about the past history of this elect of the people, and that it is not likely to take many of his supporters altogether by surprise. A rumor of this kind, which we think Mr Carroll did not venture distinctly to deny, was floating about the district at the time of his election, and was, we believe, put to Mr Carroll in ;the form of a question. Therefore, the electors ■were fully warned as to the character of the man; and yet, with these circumstances before them, they send him into a place where, he wili by usage be designated an honorable member, and where he will take part in framing laws for the community at large, — Australasian,

■ y The fickle goddess which has for seven years played fantastic tricks with the prospects of the Victoria Gold Mining Company, Eeef ton, has at length rewarded the patience and perseverance of its shareholders, Eor seven years labor and capital have been expended in prosecuting the works connected with this mine, but it is only within the past few weeks that tangible results have accrued. A telegram received by a gentleman resident in this city informs him that scrip, which oripinally sold at 6d is now worth Is 6d. Three feet of stone has been come upon in the bottom of the drive with eighteen inches up the face, and the prospects improvo with depth. The Welcome mine, the richest on the field, is looking well, and will commence its second crushing iv about ten days. — New Zealander.

The New Zealand Herald says:— "Amongst the Maoris it is thought that a salary of £SUO a-year is too small for jTawhiao, while Europeans are generally of opinion that £10 a-week is handsome for doing nothing to a rnau who has no position to maiutaid, who does not need to keep a gig to vouch for his respectabilty, who does not drink, and whose favorite food is potatoes and pork. It is contented, however, that Tawhiao has a position to maintain, and that he must be hospitable, while, as he lias four wives, there must be many sudden demands upon his purse. We shall see whether the Waikatos will stipulate for a higher salary for Tawhiao, and if they do, what reasons they will give.' 4

A Napier telegram dated May 31 says: — The funeral of the chief Te.Hapttka took place to-day. It was very largely attended. The banks, public offices, and a good many other places of business in Napier were closed. A special train carried passengers free to Te Aute, the late chief's pa. The Napier volunteers mustered iv pretty strong numbers, and proceeded in the special train to take part in the ceremony. On the arrival of the train it was greeted with waving of handkerchiefs and lowering of flags, and with loud exclamations of welcome. A number of natives fully armed, and in seminude war attire, met the volunteers and conducted them into the pah. At the meeting at the house a telegram waa read by Mr White, native interpreter, expressing the regret of Sir George Grey and Mi'" Sheehan that they were unable to attend, and conveying their sympathy to the ielatives and tribe of the deceased chief at the loss they had sustained. The funeral service was read by the Rev Samuel Williams, and there was a good deal of lamentation on the part of the natives, - •-

A London contemporary says : —Three ladies were remarkable at the Drawing Room last week. Mrg Cavendish-Bentick wore a sort of sandal inlaid with gold. Mrs Tom Brassey had a gorgeous train, resembling somewhat a peacock's tail, that floated from her Bhouldera— not her waist; and Lady Margaret Beaumont carried in her hand a bouquet worth a kiug's ransom. Of the married women, Lady Wharncliffe carried off the the palm as to beauty; and save in the case of one thing with a train of swansdown, there was a woeful absence of that fatal gift amongst the debutantes.

According to Chinese history, the custom of producing imall feet among the females of that people originated several centuries back, when a little body of women rose against the government and endeavoured to overthrow it. To preveut the recurrence of such a contretemps, there was enforced on all female infants the use of wooden shoes, so small as to disable them, except with great pain, from making any use of their feeti