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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1249, 17 January 1883, Page 2

Frank McDonald, charged with violently assaulting a Maori woman, and who has been remanded from time to time, awaiting the arrival of the warrant from Opotiki, was brought up at 2 o’clock this afternoon, and again remanded until to-morrow, owing to the Southern Cross not having arrived. It was somewhat amusing in the Conrt today to hear a witness in a charge of stealing from the person, state that he did not wish to prosecute the prisoner because he was not “ .uffieiently acquainted with him.” There was an “ audible smile ” on the face of the magistrate, who could scarcely refrain from laughing outright, when informing him that he (the witness), was not prosecuting, it was the police. We should like to form an acquaintance with this young man, because if he became “sufficiently acquainted” with us, there is no knowing what might happen, whereas, at present, those who are not regarded as personal friends are perfectly safe, and may do as they please with him. We have been requested to state that the dinner, to be given to Mr W. Clarke, will take place at 8 o’clock, instead of 8.30 as announced last evening. A correspondent writes to us a letter regarding certain haystacks at The Willows. He describes them as being of a “ perfectly new and unique style. Starting from a small base, on each side they spread out at an angle, and present a most peculiar appearance, They are almost in the form of an octagon, and a quantity of good hay has been spoiled. The inventor of this singular mode of stacking is said to be a most skilled agriculturist, and has taken out a patent for a haybuck, by which some 40 tons of hay can be cut in about 10 minutes.” Our correspondents letter however is not of very general interest, and we simply insert a portion of it, in order to show that we have a genius in our midst. The irrepressible “ Captain ” W. J. Barry is about to perform another feat equal to that of any he has heretofore accomplished. He has been, in his usual modest manner, parading his ability to tun any man in New Zealand, of his own age, 50 or 100 yards. John Walker, horse trainer, Aramoho, Wanganui, hearing of this, has challenged the “Captain,” or, in fact, any man in the world, of his own age—sixty-three. To this the Skipper, of whom it has been written— Had ridden on the backs of whales, Had told us all such wondrous tales, Had interviewed the English gaols. The gallant Captain Barry replied that he would, at Wellington, six weeks from December 27th, meet Mr John Walker, and run him from 50 to 100 yards for from £5O to £lOO aside. John Fogarty appealed against a conviction of the St. Kilda (Australia) magistrates under which he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for indecent exposure. Mr Fisher, on behalf of the appellant, submitted that, according to the 30rh section of the Police Offences Statute, under which the conviction was made, the sentence ought to have been accompanied with hard labor. The Chairman ruled that the point submitted was a good one, and quashed the conviction.