EVICTION AT MONGONUI. Fight for Possession of the Settlers' Hotel.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 48, 3 May 1884, Page 6

EVICTION AT MONGONUI. Fight for Possession of the Settlers' Hotel.

The residents of Mongoriui have been temporarily relieved of that dull monotony which usually prevails in country distriots by a rather exciting struggle for possession of the Settlers' Hotel by two rival publicans. For some considerable time this well-known hostelry had been in the possession of Mr Grogan, who dispensed his liquors and otherwise conducted himself well and peaceably until a few weeks ago, when a new claimant to these privileges appeared upon the scene. The owners of the hotel, it appears, disposed of it to Mr Luks, who secured a license, and went down from Auckland with authority to turn out both Grogan and his family. Grogan, however, objected on the ground that he had received no information to that effect from his landlord. Luks therefore called upon Constable Moar to assist him in dislodging his rival, but the representative of the law declined to do anything more than to prevent a breach of the peace. Luks then secured the services of four bailiffs, and, accompanied by Constable Moar, proceeded to the hotel, and recommended the inmates to evacuate the premises in order to prevent what promised to be a rather unseemly proceeding, viz., their forcible ejection. But Grogan proved immovable. Thereupon Luks and his bailiffs commenced to hustle him about the building. Luks and Grogan closed in the passage ; the bailiffs got behind them and pushed thorn out of the building, when both rolled on to the street. After a severe struggle the evicted tenant succeeded in throwing off his adversary, fot up, rushed to the door, and although otly pursued by the bailiffs, he succeeded in getting safely into the hotel first, and slammed the door in the faces of his pursuers. Luks made another appeal to the Constable to take Grogan into custody, but the guardian of the peace was not quite certain that he had the authority to do so, and declined. Other attempts to dislodge Grogan having failed, Luks was compelled to resort to different tactics. He showed the persistant occupant of his property documents such as transfer of license, etc., but Grogan still declined to accept notice to quit from anyone except his " own landlord." Next Luks showed him a letter purporting to be from that gentle man, giving him (Luks) all authority to take possession. Grogan remained obdurate, so Luks determined to remain in the house. This proved of no avail, so he soon left, and placed his position before the Resident Magistrate, who, it is said, authorised the ejection of the defiant occupant and all belonging to him. Accordingly,Luks and thefourbailiffs who had remained in the hotel, accompanied by Constable Moar, caught hold of Grogan' and endeavoured to put him out of his building, but only succeeded after a great struggle, during which a glass door in the passage was broken to atoms. Mrs Grogan was next gently hustled out, and the children being already outside, Luks remained in full control, and, finding it necessary to break open the bai*, did so, and commenced business without delay. That night Grogan is reported to have slept in a skittle ally connected with the hotel, but having afterwards thought better of it, he departed, and has not since given his rival any further trouble. Grogan and family are now in Auckland.