A NOVEL COMBAT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2203, 21 August 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

A NOVEL COMBAT.

The Ota go Daily Times relates the following : —An extraordinary conflict was witnessed at the Jetty-street jetty on Fiiday afternoon, the principal actors being .1 hull of rash and excitable temperament, who broke loose from a herd of cattle in course of landing from the Go-Ahead, and a light draught horse belonging to Messrs A. Briscoe and Co., and harnessed to one of their waggons. The horse is a handsome bay, a valuableanimal, useful in commerce, hut] better fitted for battle. Consequently, when the bull, inflamed with rage and roaring lustily, charged him full in front, the gallant bay stood firm. Fortunately for him, one of the beast's horns struck upon the lower partjof the collar, indenting the leather pretty deeply, while the second horn merely inflicted a slight scratch on the lower part of his breast. The bull drew off discomfited, reorganised himself, and came on again to the track, his head well down, as before, and bellowing more angrily than ever. This time, how ever, the horse decided that the moment had arrived for reprisals. Having his enemy full in front, he showed no desire to get away from him, but reared in the shafts, and coming down struck him heavily with both forefeet. The bull was sent faiily to grass, apparently halfstunned, and figured no more with the combat. In fact, the victor did not wait M) give him an opportunity of again coming to time. He was at thib moment smia'tly iein-d round by his driver, and, bumg uuihluto nee his antagonist, becimti at ou<jr unmanageable A ffiir fight, conducted upon straight forward principles, he rather enjoyed, but he was not going to stand an.l be taken at a disadvantage in 11 ink or rear. He therefore bnlted incontinently, and coveted several hundred yards before the driver was able to get him at all under control. When finally pulled up he was found to have sustained no injury beyond the scratch aforesaid, although, had the bull's horn struck a few inches lower, , the blow would most probably have been fatal. As it is, the bull is the more likely of the two combatants to be in hospital.

A Mk Jons Wilcoc'Ksox, of Broom Hall, Chesterfield, reported to be >vorth €00,000, has been sentenced to three weeks' hard labour for starving eight cows to death. Autistic criticism starts from many points of \ Jew. One looks at a picture tor its colouring, its drawing, or its happy combination ot the two. But a t.iilor visiting the Academy this year, gazed at a certain portrait by a certain Royal Academician, and remarked, "So help me heaven, it is like him in the face, but never did I make that coat." BnorciiT to tuk llammkk. — An interesting mansion and estate \va3 to be sold by auction in England recently. The mansion is the famous Houghton Hall, the magnificant abode of Sir Robert Walpole, and now the seat of the | 1 Marquis of Cholmondeley, near Eastern Reed ham, in Norfolk, and not far form Sandringham. Here, amidst the beautiful gardens and extensive plantations, the fallen Minister of George 11. passed the closing years of his life in the tran(jnility and retirement to which he rutened when he h.iid, "My ilattereis now aio all mutes ; the oaks and beeches beein to contend which best bhall please the lord of the manor ; but they cannot deceive; they will not lie." The splendid collection of pictures at the hall was sold by his grandson in 1770 to Catherine Empress of Russia for £40,530. The property comprises, besides the mansion, which has been in great part rebuilt, and the gardens and old deer park, the surrounding estate, amounting to 10,500 acres, and encluding entire villages, valuable manors, and advow3011S,