Local and General.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 264, 18 October 1884, Page 2

Local and General.

Low Scoring. —Eleven English sea captains played a cricket match at ’Frisco against a local club. The local men only scored 24, but the tars were all put out for two extras.

Wreck,—The ketch Opotiki ran on a sunken rock off Mercury Bay, and became a total wreck, Bhe had a cargo of maize.

Wju&kky.*’ Twenty eases of whiskey were sold to-day at Messrs. Graham, Pitt and Bennett's mart, and brought Us. per case.

Subscribers.—Country subscribers are requested to report any irregularity in the delivery of their papers. A Long Term.—For seventy-four years the present organist of St. Michael’s church, Coventry, England, has held that position; longer, perhaps, than any person has ever held a similar position before.

That’s All.—“ I notice that the ballet girls mostly were smiles when they come upon the stage,” said old Mr. Sqaggs to his wife, who had insisted on accompanying him to the theatre. “It shows that they think they ought to wear something,” she snapped, and he said no more.

Beer v. Brains. —The will of Mr. Michael Thomas Bass, one of the well-known brewers of Burton-on-Trent, has been proved, the personal estate amounting to £1,830,000. The will of Charles Reade, the novelist, has been proved, the personal estate being £11,000; and the will of H. J. Byron, dramatic author, has been proved at £lOOO.

Cruelty to Animals.—This morning E. Hatfield, alias Garibaldi, was charged with unlawfully ill-treating a certain black mare on the Jsth of October last, by kicking her on the legs, chest, head, and striking the animal with his fist.—Accused pleaded guilty.—The Sergeant said that this was a very bad case as accused continued kicking and ill-treating the animal for about a quarter of an hour, and when remonstrated with for his harsh treatment he made use of most foul and abusive laaguage. The evidence of Mr. W. Minsell bore this statement out.—His Worship considered the case a most serious one, and the defendant’s excuse that the mare kicked him went for nothing. The offence was considerably aggravated by the bad language he made use of. He would inllict a fine of £5 with costs £1 95., in default 14 days. Coastal.—We are pleased to notice an announcement, which appears in another column, to the effect that the steamer Thomas Russell will henceforth call in at all the places along the East Coast on her downward trip, where sufficient inducement offers. There can be little doubt but what this will prove a boon to coast settlers who are sending stock, pigs, and produce to the Auckland market, as the facilities for shipping will be far greater than those hitherto obtainable, the steamers fine surf boat enabling them to ship cattle and goods in all reasonable weather. The reason for calling in on her downward trip will be obvious, as she will then be enabled to complete her cargo at Gisborne, and steam direct for Auckland. We trust to see her well supported, as her enterprising owners certainly deserve every encouragement, and the freightage is most reasonable. All communications re freight or passage should be addressed to the Gisborne Agent, Mr. H. E. Johnston. Footprints.—To the uninitiated it would seem that footprints would be as airy and unmarketable commodities as postholes. But there is an advertisement in the Auckland Star offering “ nioa’s footprints for sale ” guaranteed genuine, at £5 per pair. The gigantic footprints were originally impressed on the sand, which subsequently hardened into stone, perpetuating the traces of the giant bird for all eternity. According to the Inangahua Herald, there used at one time to be a profitable market for moa footprints in the North Island, and an old whaler named Maori Jack made a good thing by manufacturing footprints to order, on the principle that relics of the battle of Waterloo are made at Birmingham. It is even said that specimens of Jack’s handiwork are to be found in the Wellington and Christchurch museums. Genuine footprints are very plentiful in Gisborne.

Embracing.—One of the recent numbers of the Melborne Argus has the following remarks on the way in which Mahommedans embrace one another. “ They approach one another smiling, and seizing the waist, bend over each other’s left shoulder first, then right, wink over each shoulder, and then release their hold and gave affectionately at one another.” It reminds one of a very dear friend who used to do this self-same business. He would embrace his wife, and, gazing over her shoulder, wink at the hired girl all at one and the same time. One day his wife intercepted the wink. She caught it instead of the girl; and then he caught it, and so did the girl too. I think it was because he forgot which shoulder he was gazing over, and contracted the wrong optic—the one nearest his partner for life, instead of the one whose goings on she couldn’t see from his nose being in the way. It was a fatal error, and he wasn’t seen at his office for a week afterwards, nor has lie wunk a wink since.

Detention.—This case was continued yesterday afternoon when the following evidence was taken The defendant deposed that he remembered the 26th of September, the day in question, on the morning of which day the defendant came to his hotel and had some drinks, in payment of which he tendered a £5 note. He (deferdant) did not know it was a £5 note, and thought it was only a £1 note, and therefore gave 17s. 6d. as change, and placed the £5 note in the drawer. In consequence of Gardner reminding him, witness looked to see if it was a £5 or a £1 note which McCarthy had given him, and finding it was a £5 note he handed it back to McCarthy because he had not got change, and at the same time told him to pay 2s. 6d. for the drinks. Gardner went out and got change, and McCarthy paid what he owed to him, the defendant, which amounted to £l, including the 17s. fid. he had given in change of the £1 not. McCarthy then stayed at the hotel till six o’clock, and went away, returning again about 10.30, when he came in and went straight up to bed. The next morning McCarthy asked him for his £lO note which he had given to the servant to keep, and which he (witness) paid, deducting £3 15s. being the amount of an old debt incurred some time previously. McCarthy did not demur at that deduction, and took the change (£6 55.) without saying a word. McCarthy said, “ Take the money, as I like to pay and be paid;” but just before the coach left for town he told witness that if he did not return the £3 15s. he would make it hot for him (witness), who still refused to give the money back. Mr. E. P. Joyce deposed that defendant ca ne to him and laid the matter before him, and he advised him to settle the matter out of Court, and he (defendant) stated he was willing to pay the balance back to shut the matter up. Mr. J. Wallace deposed, about the time in question he met the plaintiff just outside Currie A Hogan’s hotel, where he (plaintiff) said he had been robbed. Witness had the matter investigated, and the room in which the plaintiff had slept was searched, but nothing was found. Then witness suggested that the plaintiff himself should be searched, which was accordingly done, and as they took off his trousers some money, amounting to £l5, fell on the floor. E. O. Dwyer corroborated the evidence of defendant as to the fact that defendant handed back the £5 note to the plaintiff, who sent out for change and afterwards paid a certain sum to the defendant. C. Gardner proved as to the existence of the debt, the amount of which was deducted by the defendant from the £lO, and that the debt had not been settled, and the plaintiff had acknowledged to him that it was due. After hearing the evidence of constable Bower, and listening to the arguments of counsel, his Worship decided in favor of the defendant, with costs £6 fig. Mr. Finn appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. McDougall for defendant.