TELEGRAMS

Patea Mail, 15 March 1882, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

(PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) This Day. CAN AUCTIONEERS SELL GROG ? Christchurch,—At a meeting of the East Christchurch Licensing Committee, a point of some interest cropped up. , A firm, one of whose members held an auctioneer’s license, applied for a wholesale license. The committee were disposed to stand by the Act, which plainly forbids the issue of any license to the holder of an auctioneer’s license. Mr Stringer contended that the danse was clearly meant to apply to publicans’ licenses only, and the wording was a slip. He quoted the old Provincial Ordinance in support of. this viewv Eventually, the committee expressed an inclination to take the same view, but feared they were bound by the strict wording of the Act to refuse the license. It was then arranged that the AttorneyGeneral should be communicated with on the subject, and the case was adjourned. The Chamber of Commerce are in communication with the Government on this point also, which is manifestly of importance to a good many large firms.

Opening Mokau Country. Auckland.—Mr Grace,, native interpreter, visited Mokau at Rewi’s request to ascertain if there is any objection, beyond Tawhiao’s claim of “ mana” and ownership, against the holding of Native Lands Courts there. Grace visited the Upper Mokau and Tuhna country, where large meetings were held and discontent expressed at the action of Government in refusing to hold a Land Court, thereby throwing the natives back on Tawhaio’s rule. The natives ridiculed Tawhaio’s claims. On Grace’s return, Rewi wrote to Mr Bryce urging him to listen to the request of the Mokau natives for a Land Court, and also applied for a court in respect to his own laud on the Taupo side. Te Wetere, an influential chief, accompanied Grace,