SPORTING.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 75, 26 September 1898, Page 6

SPORTING.

(BY TELEGRAPH — PEESS ASSOCIATION.! Woobville, This Day. The Jockey Club has fixed on the 14th 'And 15th of December as the dates for its summer meeting, and the 29th and 30th of March for the autumn meeting

My. Thomas Steole, of Daniel - street, Newtown, died very suddenly at Tawa Flat, some time between Saturday and Sunday night, at his son's house, where he had been, staying for the last 10 days for a change. Mr. Steele, Jan., came into town on. Saturday evening, and his father was last s'ien alive at hall-past 9 that night, in the «J "ohnsonville Hotel, watching a game of billiards. He left the hotel apparently in Iris usual health. The son returned home between 8 and 9 o'clock on Sunday night, and all the doors being locked, he had to force an entry, and then he found his father lying dead in, bed, having apparently been dead some hours. The Coroner has been informed, and was to hold an inquest at 3 this afternoon. During the hearing of a charge against a publican in the Magistrate's Court this afternoon, a constable who held in his hand an exhibit — a small bottle of liquor — was asked if he knew what it contained. "I do not," was the reply. " Are you an expert ?" asked counsel, and the constable, replying in the negative, was about to comply with the suggestion that he should taste it, when he suddenly interjected, " I'd rather not ; I have taken the pledge." While the laughter which followed was still on, Inspector Pender said, " Hand me the bottle," and to satisfy the Court proceeded to sample it, causing counsel to say doubtingty, " I don'jb believe you know." " Oh, yes, I do," said the Inspector, "it is brandy and peppermint." j The shipment of West Coast timber from Grej'moutli to London made some time back on the advice of the Government expert for the purpose of testing the value of New Zealand woods for street-paving and other | purposes resulted in a loss of £846, notwithstanding that the Government paid half freight, £767. Eight charges of breaking and entering the warehouse of Stewart & Co. and stealing goods valued at £28 were brought against the young man named Douglas Mickle, who appeared on remand in the Magistrate's Court to-day. Mr. Hislop appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Jellicoe for the defence. Mr. Hislop said the accused had been employed ns a r.le-k at Stewart & Co.'s for about two 3"ears, and Detective Nixon had first bpen moved to make enquiries by a suspi-cious-looking parcel in a pawnbroker's shop. The prison»r was the man who bad pawned it, and lie was brought before the heads of the firm and the detective, and then made certain admissions. A large quantity of goods had been recovered, some from accused's own premises, where was also found a key which fitted the office door of Stewart & Co., which was evidence that he had entered the premises at times whpn he ought not to have done so, and on one occasion he was found where he had no right to be, and was told that he had better go out, though dishonesty was not at that time suspected. Evidence was given by Detective Nixon, who ssaid that when taken to task Mickle said, "I might as well tell the truth now I am caught," and made a further statement which implicated others. The case was proceeding when we went to press. Special prize 3to the amount of £300 have been donated to the Wairarapa Pastoral Society for next show — a considerable increase on last year. Mr. Sydney Dix, of Messrs. Bannatyne and Co.'s staff, is recovering rapidly from the effects of the bicycle accident which he met with on Adelaide-road a fortnight airo. He is now able to get about with the aid of a stick.