RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Christchurch.—April 7. ("Before John Hall, Esq., R.M.) LICENSING MEETING. Present: The Hon. John Hall, Esq., R.M. in the chair, and a full bench of magistrates. The following applications for renewal of conditional licenses were granted.

D. andD. Cameron, Saltwater Creek; Flowers and Robson, South Bank Rakaia; John Hastie, Hurunui; Edmund Shakespear, Hals well River; Joseph Ward, Rangitata; Wm. Weeden, Half-way House, Great South Road; Chas. White, Waimakariri; Henry Brothers, Weka Pass; John Leitb, Kowai. Leith was highly commended by the Bench, and informed they considered his house the best managed in the province; Henry Lough, Saltwater Creek, and Salathiel Redfern, Oxford.

George Gigg's application for renewal of his license at Selwyn Hotel, was adjourned to allow of enquiry being made as to the conduct of the house for the past year, the reported management not being satisfactory.

The following renewals of General Licenses were granted:—

Henry Boddington, Northern Hotel, Kaiapoi; W. Baugh, Rangiora; G. F. Day, Kaiapoi Hotel, Kaiapoi; Joseph Felton, Waimakariri; D. Everest, Kaiapoi.

Robert Newton and Henry Hinge, the former of Rangiora, the latter of Woodend, had their application adjourned to 22nd instant; Newton not having conducted his house properly for past year, and Hinge being suspected of selling liquor to the Maories.

The following applications for New General Licenses were refused:—

R. Belcher, W. Hammett, and Benjamin Jeffs, of Kaiapoi; Thomas Jones, Ashley Bank; T. Lewis, of Rangiora, and W. Wagner, of Woodend. Wagner was absolutely refused; he is suspected of having sold grog on the sly.

Hanmett and Jeffs received renewals of their wine and beer licenses.

Oram Brothers, of Kaiapoi, and J. Marshall, of Rangiora, had new general licenses granted to them

David Fisher, Oxford; and Peter M'Leod, Kaiapoi also had new general licenses granted them.

John Brown Binley, Brown's Bridge; and Reuben Cook, Coal Track, had new conditional licefises granted them. The latter was informed that the Bench would recommend the Superintendent to grant him a license to commence selling immediately.

James Rowell applied for a conditional license on Spring Track, but was refused.

The Bench here adjourned at 6 p.m. to Wednesday, at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Bth April. ADJOURNED LICENSING MEETING. (Present: The Hon. J.Hall, R.M., in the chair, and a full bench of magistrates.) Wm. Turton, and J. E. Brown, who had both been prevented from attending yesterday in consequence of a fresh in the River Rakaia, appeared to support their application for conditional licenses, the former at the Ashburton, the latter at the South Bank, Rakaia. Turton's application was granted by the Bench at once, so as to mark their approval of the manner in which his house had been conducted during the past year. Brown's application was adjourned to the 22nd instant, reports of the house being unsatisfactory, and the Bench wished time to cause the proper enquiry to be made.

The following renewals of general licences were granted:—

J. B. Banks, Royal Oak. The Bench severely cautioned this applicant as to the future management of his house; it being at present unsatisfactory.

Barrett Brothers, Barrett's Hotel, were highly commended for the good management of their house.

John Birdsey, British Hotel. He was told that after considerable discussion the Bench had resolved to grant a renewal for this house. They expected, however, that he would show an example of sobriety to his customers. The Bench, however, had unanimously resolved to refuse his application for a renewal of his licence at the Heatlicote Valley. He had received it last year on the express condition that unless he made alterations on the house he would not be entitled to a renewal. These alterations had not been made. They must, however, by law defer their final decision to the 22nd instant.

Blake and Lippard, Shearers Arms. The management of this house, the applicants were told, had degenerated.

John Cuff, Royal Hotel. Commended for his conduct of the house.

C. G. Dann, Devonshire Arms. John Dilloway, Plough Inn. Commended. Joseph Fantham, Papanui; C. Green and C. Smith, Lytelton Hotel, Christchurch.

James Hair, A 1 Hotel, Christchurch, Wm. Meddings, Papanui. Edwin Pearce, Ferry Road. Samuel Treleaven, North Road. George Henry Tribe, Christchurch.

J. P. Oakes, Golden Fleece, was informed his application was adjourned to the 22nd instant, for the purpose of further enquiry as to the conduct of his house for the past year, unfavorable reports having been received.

New General Licenses granted:— Stephen Curtis, Ferrymead House. He was told that unless considerable improvements were made by next year he need not expect a renewal. He was also informed he got the license owing to the situation of the house.

Alfred Money, Papanui road,

Augustus Moore and Wm. Dawe, Lincoln road, John Parker, Cashel street, Christchurch.

Alfred Silk, Ferry road, Wharf Hotel,

J. G. Ruddenklau, Christchurch. He was told that if by next year he had not completed the building, as shown in the plan produced to the bench, he need not expect a renewal.

General licenses (new applications) refused:— A. A. Adley, Oxford Hotel, Christchurch, wine and beer. Granted.

Geo. Alfrey, Tweed House, Christchurch, wine and beer. Granted.

W. D. Barnard, Horse Repository; F. T. Haskins, Papanui; Benjamin Jones, Criterion Hotel, Christchurch; Fred. King, Montreal street, Christchurch; James Mummery, Britannia Hotel, Christchurch. Consideration of renewal of wine and beer licenses adjourned to 22nd instant.

J. F. Smart, Caversham House, Christchurch, renewal of wine and beer. Granted.

T. B. Thompkins, Railway Hotel, Christchurch, renewal of wine and beer. Granted.

J. H. Thompkins, Colombo street, Christchurch, new wine and beer license. Granted.

Geo. Wills, Riecarton. Granted.

John Whale Christchurch. This person was told that the bench did not think he was a proper person to manage a public-house. He had not taken a hint which was given last year.

Agnes Hossack received a new wine and beer license. Upon the bench informing her that she would have to supply other persons than her lodgers, she said she had fully considered that point, but she had been legally advised she could charge as much as she liked for nobblers, and thus keep her hotel select.

Geo. Taylor's application for wine and beer license was refused.

Wm. Cray thorn was told that as his house for which he wished a conditional license was 4£ miles from the Royal hotel, Christchurch, it was out of the power of the bench to grant it. They regretted the circumstance, and informed him he might apply for a general license next year.

The bench adjourned their meeting to Lyttelton, on Wednesday next, for the purpose of hearing the Lyttelton and Akaroa applications for licenses.

Lyttelton, Wedesday, April 8 (Before Wm. Donald, Esq., R.M.)

Information under the Police Otdinance.— Constable Spray made complaint against Zachariah Arthur, gardener, of Lyttelton, for setting fire to the grass and flax on the land above his garden. The defendant did not deny the charge, but considered that he was doing what was right, as the land was his own. The Resident Magistrate said that the information must be dismissed; the land in question was beyond the precincts of the town, therefore the case did not come under the ordinance.

Friday, April 10th, (Before W. Donald, Esq., R.M.)

Penalty for a Passage.—Hugh M'Cormack was taken in custody from the steamer Lady Bird, for unlawfully being on board and not having the money to pay for his passage. The prisoner, in his defence, said that he had gone to Port Chalmers as stockman on board a vessel from Wellington, and went on board the Lady Bird to ask Captain Renner to give him a passage, as he had not the money. The captain refused to do so, and he tried to get again in a boat, but the steamer was under weigh before he could get off. He was willing to pay, when he got to Wellington, the amount due, for he was well known there. The captain said he brought this matter forward on public grounds, in order to let people see that such liberties could not be taken with impunity, but at the same time he did not wish to have the full penalty of the law inflicted. The Resident Magistrate said, from what the captain said he should not inflict the full penalty, but he wished it to be understood that he should not always be so lenient. Any person so committing himself was liable to a fine of £20, or four weeks' imprisonment. In this case he would give him 24 hours.

Broaching Cargo.—This case was adjourned from Tuesday last, to produce further evidence. J. D. Freeman, fourth officer of the ship Roman Emperor, proved seeing the prisoner Patrick Mulcahyon the afternoon in question, near the hatchway of the lower hold, in company with two of the crew. Mulcahy wilfully knocked the light out of the mate's hand: afterwards he heard a noise like that of bottles knocking together. The brands on the bottles found afterwards had different colored labels from the bottles belonging to the ship's stores. The cases had J. T. P. & Co. on them. Some of the constables gave evidence tending to implicate the prisoner with respect to a bottle of ale found in one of the bags on the night of desertion from the ship, but it did not appear to be very conclusive, for the label had been rubbed off the bottle. The Court considered the length of time poor Pat had to devote to improving our streets, and let him off with the slight addition of fourteen days.