NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5947, 8 December 1880, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

[FROM OUK OWN CORRESPONDENT.] RUSSELL, Tuesday. The Licensing Court was held to-day. No fresh licenses were granted. [OXITED PRESS ASSOCIATION".] Ar NAPIER, Tuesday. JMr. Proctor is drawing packed houses nightly. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. It is understood that counsel will be engaged for the defence of the native prisoner Tulii. He is closely watched in his cell night and day, and is' never alone for a moment. It is understood that a number of publicans are to be prosecuted for breaches of the Beer Duty Act in not defacing the stamps on the beer barrels. The Licensing Court sat this afternoon, and refused all applications for new licenses' CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. A most amusing case arising out of a whale stranding on the New Brighton beach, over which there has already boon one lawsuit, was heard at the District Court to-day. Mr. Spachman, in opening the case, said: It was an action to recover the tangible result of boiling down a whale. The plaintilfs. in October last, became possessed of a whale lying on the beach at New Brighton. In Kerr's " Blackstone " we read that the whale is a royal fish, and that on the taking of a whale on the coast it shall be divided between King and Queen, the head only being the King's property and the tail the Queen's ; and Blackstone says that it differs in this from the sturgeon, of which the King is entitled to the whole. The reason of division assigned by the ancient records was to furnish the Queen's wardrobe with whalebone, a reason more whimsical than the division itself, because, as Mr. Christian observes, the whalebone is entirely in the head, but probably the Queen's wardrobe at present is well supplied by the article in question.

All the applications for hotel licenses in the city and Sydenham were refused by the Licensing Court to-day. Owing to the circus neglecting or refusing to advertise in the morning papers there -was no announcement of their arrival or first performance which is being given this evening. There was quite an exodus of show people from the town to-day. The Lydia Howard troupe leave for the North to-morrow. Grattan Riggs and company leave for Wanganui, and on Thursday the Lingards sail for Auckland. The latter then go to America. By the Rangatikei there arrived three Leicesters for Mr. P. C. Strelkeld, also a thoroughbred mare—Stud Queen, rising four years—for Mr. Carter, of Ashburton. She was bred by Lord Zetland, and is by The Glad out of Chotas. Both sheep and mare arrived iu excellent condition.

OAMARU, Tuesday. At the quarterly meeting of the Licensing Court to-day, two applications for hotel licenses were refused.

The Victoria brewery had a narrow escape from fire to-di-y. Some shavings caught fire, and communicating with the hall, soon caused a blaze. The flame 3 were noticed, however, and soon subdued by a plentiful supply of water.

DUNEDLN, Tuesday. The Board of Governors of the High School has offered the first German mastership of the High School to Dr. Thome, of Christchurch, at a salary of £300 a-ycar.

INVERCARGrLL, Tuesday. At the Licensing Court to-day, one new license was granted. All the other applications, both for publicans and bottle licenses, were refused.