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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 187, 5 August 1878, Page 2

The City Surveyor and roadsmen were spoken of in anything but complimentary terms last night by people going to and returning from the churches for the silly proceedings of the previous day, when the mud had been carefully scraped off the road and left in rows, varying in depth from two to six inches, at the edge of the footpaths. This trap for the unwary was very successful in several instances, and it was not to be wondered at that plenty of dirt (metaphorically speaking) was thrown at the heads of those who had laid it. A lectdee will be delivered in the Wesleyau Church, at Spring Grove, this evening, by the Rev. R, Bavin, in aid of the Sunday School fund. The subject will be " The Martyr Church of Madagascar." Notwithstanding that to-day was a public holiday the usual monthly Court was held at Brightwater. The following cases were heard:— Fawcett v. Green, for £5, for killing certain turkeys. Plaintiff nonsuited with costs, £2 10s. Mr P. B. Adams appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Pitt for the defendant. — Primmer t. Newth. Action to recover £9 10s for goods supplied. Judgment for amount claimed and coats. Mr P. B. Adams appeared for the plaintiff, and defendant appeared in person.— Primmer v. Patterson. Action to recover £16 for rent. Judgment for .42 and costs. Mr P: B. Adams appeared for the plaiutiff, and Mr Pitt for the defendant. There were seven other cases set down for hearing, but they were all settled out of Court or adjourned. Strange things occasionally happen to a man in the colonies, but more extraordinary or unpleasant adventures than one in which Mr Huddleston, of Maitai House, was the victim on b'riday evening are not often met with. His house, which is some dozen or so yards off the road, is situated in a garden which is fenced round by a live hedge, but on the night in question the gate was unfortunately left open. He was seated by the fire in the room at the rorth-east corner of the house when he was disturbed by the furious barking of his dogs, followed almost immediately by a tremendous noise proceeding from the south-west corner, which at the moment he thought was occasioned by one of the chimneys falling in. Hastily rising he went down the passage, which runs the whole length of .the house, opened the front door, and passed out into the verandah. It was a black night, and, at the time one of those showers from the south-west, which have been only too frequent of late, was passing over the town, so that on goiug outside from a well-lighted room it was impossible at first to distinguish anything. By the dim light given by a candle through a thickly curtained window, he could, however, see on the floor of the verandah, which is some two feet above the level of the ground, a large dark object which was excitiug the fury of his doga. What it was he was unable to make out, but he was not long left in doubt Suddenly the object moved towards him, and before he had time to move he received a tremendous blow on the chest, which staggered, though it did not knock him down. Instinctively he put out his hands, and they came in contact first with something rough, hard, and hairy, and next with a pair of horns. There was no longer room for doubt now. He was face to face with an enormous bullock, which was in a state of semi -madness, and for which a well-fenced stock-yard was a far safer place than a peaceable gentleman's verandah. Although probably he had never come to auch close quarters with a wild beast before, Mr Huddieston has had some experience among cattle, and, retaining his presence of mind, he determined not to relax his grip of the brute's horns if he could possibly help it until he saw some way of escape. But having been an invalid for some time, his strength was not very great, and, after a brief struggle, he was worsted and thrown down on his back, still, instinctively as it were, holding on to the horns he pulled down the beast's head with him until he could feel the hot breath on his face. For a moment he thought it was all over with him, but, fortunately, the animal was also pretty well frightened at being handled in this way, and it passed on with a rush oa to the lawn and through the garden, but in doing so it trampled on its fallen foe with ita fore feet, and kicked him with one of its hind ones. Much shaken and excited Mr Huddleston rose and Returned to the house, from which he 'had scarcely been absent three minutes — although perhaps they were the most eventful three minutes of his life. So suddenly had the whole thing

happened, that he might almost have fancied "was a dream, but for the palpable proofs iaat we re left of its reality. A waistcoat ripped open by the horn, a large bruise on the chest, and another on the thigh where the brute had trodden on hiitij and a barked shin; the reSiijt of' the gattlbfj kiefci we.re sufficient lo cliow trie danger to -which tie had bedu exposed. The bullock, we may add, was being driven from Wakapuaka to the Maitai, and had previously attacked one of its drivers, who had a narrow escape f irorii being seriously hllH.. Maddened b# the" drlv.b il hdd riishbd into Mr Hiiddle'stoti's" garden; and,, owing pWbab!y touts' rddg'h reception by the dogs, .had leaped dri to ttio verandah 1 without knowing wtiat it wasddinli: