THE BESIEGED HOTEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4667, 28 October 1876, Page 5

THE BESIEGED HOTEL.

: auring yesterday, and'until evening no feature of interest servedto enliven the "iluU:morid■*o?y.whicn both besieged and besiegers were obliged to endure. Thia may be partly, accounted r forfrom "the fact that the commander'was busily engaged in.inditing the following letter :—" DurhanvstreeV'Pctober 27,1876. To Mr. Broham. : Dear sir,—l see by this morning's Herald thai it is the intention of the Court to summons me for not having a light outside, on Monday night, in answer to which I have to say it was not neglect, but through three ill-looking fellows outside, ready to rush and prevent me doing so. I went down on Monday night to your department, to ask help, and put three persons out of my house, after hours of closing. As I did not get such help, I had to use other means to protect my wife and self. I respectfully submit, if the Publicans Act demands one thing, why should I not have ' assistance in the other ? In the next place, I have given the licence to the under Sheriff, which you can know from him, that he ordered me to elope on Monday evening. During your inspection last June, and what passed from yourself to Mr. McMillan, the latter related to me that the estate would prove so expensive to repair, from what you said, and that such report overawed the trustee, that he said you must have a fearful down on me, and that the house would surely lose its licence ; and that is the reason I was refused the licence and we were deprived of our living. I replied to all this fear of Mr. McMillan that it was all nonsense, and that Mr. Broham only wanted " temporary repairs, for our good;" but it was of no avail, and now you see the consequence—all loss and trouble—and you know you never had trouble with me during the time I have had the house. —A. G. Pulleng." At S p.m. the " bums" tried a new ruse for drawing the garrison from its position of safety. They staggered up to the hotel, and, after giving vent to a volley of oaths, demanded beds for the night, and refreshment instanter, as they were travellers from Onehuoga. No response was made, and they commenced battering against the door. Mr. Pulleng now made his appearance at an upper window with a steaming basin of hot water in his hands. He said that he had plenty of cooling refreshment prepared, and was about to throw the water over the persons of the weary travellers, when those individuals took to their heels and beat an inglorious retreat. Pulleng, of course, is jubilant at this freah triumph, and his adversaries appear proportionately discouraged. Such is the position of affairs at present. On Tuesday "next, Mr. Pulleng will be charged at the Police Court with neglecting to light his lamp on Wednesday night.