The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, SEPT. 8, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 426, 8 September 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, SEPT. 8, 1877.

The haring of the charge of perjury preferred agunst Mrs. Mary Walker by the \ police occupied th? Distrijt Court from ten o'clock this morning until half-past three this afternoon, and resulted in a verdict of not guilty. No.le-s than thirteen jurymen were challenged—eleven by Mr. and two by the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. White). The case for the posecution was ex- eedingly weak, the evidence of the sev. - ral witnesses being very contradictory. Mr. O'Meagner made an excellent address on behalf of ihe accused, and on resuming his se;it the large concourse ef people in the Court gave vent to their feelings on the matter by a spontaneous outburst of applause, which, however, speedily checked by the officers of the Court. His H< nor Judge Harvey, in summing up, did so almost in favour of the accused, and remarked upon ihe weakness of the case. The jury, after a very brief consultation, and without retiring, returned a veulict of not guilty, an announcement which again caused the audience to forget the solemnity of the proceedings and the dignity of a Court of Justice, by very decided marks of approbation. The Ploughing Mateh at Papakaio took place yesterday The contest for the prizes was held on the Hensley estate, and the weather was as fine as could be desired Besides the ordinary prizes to be contended for, there was a challenge of L2O made by J. Allan and accepted by Alex. Clydesdale. Charles White ca-ne up from the Taieri, bringing a plough manufactured by Fowle-, and succeeded in carrying off the first prize. As will be seen by the appended list of prize-t:.kers Allan obtaiud second honour, thus winning the match with Clydesdale. There ■were some splendid teams on the ground. The following is the prize list : Casb A.—lst prize, LlO, C. White; 2nd. LS, J. Allan ; 3rd, L 6, T. Dick; 4th, L 4, ; Alex. Clydesdale ; sth, L2, G. Aikenhead. | Class B.—lst, LlO, H. Stewart ; 2nd, LB, W. Craig; 3rd, L 6, J. M'Master; 4th, L 4. A. Hall. Extra prizes.—Ciass A.—Best break, J. Allan; best finish, J.Allan; straightest ploughing, A. Ctydesdale ; best outs and ins, G. Aikenhead; be-t ploughed lot in the field, C. White. Class B. —Best break, M. Clydesdale; best finish, Hawthorne Stewart; straightest ploughing, M. Cjydesdale; beit outs and ins, Hawthorne Stewart. Best dressed team, G. Aikenhead; second best dressed team, A. Clyde.=dale; ploughman most suitably dressed, J. Allan , best kept harnes-, G. Aikenhead; second best kept harness, J. M'Master; best groomed horses, C. White; best matched team, Fleming and Hedley ; best team, Fleming and Hedley ; second best team. A. and J Dalgleish ; quietest ploughman with his team, A. Grant.

On the names of the jurors being called over at the Distriet Court this morning, Arthur Denton and James Donaldson were again found to be absent. His Honor Judge Harvey, however, declined to inflict a fine, as there was nothing, before him to prove that the absentees had received 7 summonses to attend on that day.

It is notified in our advertising columns that the' Roman Catholics will hold a meet-* ing on Mpnday, at half-past seven in the Roman Catholic school-room, to take into consideration the Government Educa- - tionßill. x *

A considerable amount of excitement was caused in town yesterday aft rrnoon by the fact being circu'ated : that a well-known hairdresser had laid a w.'ger that his mare would ti ot from Schluter's Boundary Creek Hotel to the stables lately in the occupation of Mr. Stewart Richmond, next to the Commercial Hotel, in 'I hames-street, within'l7 minutes. A start was made" from the Boundary Creek shortly after four o'clock, and the mare, which Avas ridden by the owner, by the fc-'me she reached the racecourse, was trotting in good style, and it was then evident that if she did not break down the wager would be won. On reaching the Town Belt she had two minutes and a half to spare; but when opposite the Shnnrock Hotel she broke very badly. However, after turning she was set going again, and managed to do the distance with 10 seconds to spare. A large crowd of people lined the road +o see the professor win or lose, very few of whom thought the mare would accomplish the distance in the time specified.