DOGS V. DOGMAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 712, 24 February 1866, Page 5

DOGS V. DOGMAS.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Herald. Sin, —In the Resident Magistrates Court yesterday one of the strangest deliveries I ever herfrd of from some of our Second Daniels, who now occupy that judgment seat, was given. It was the case of a dog biting a boy. The boy was bit, and a certain man possessed two dogs. The dooision was, that the man who had two dogs must pay the fine. Not a word about the identity of tho dogs ; not a tittle of proof as to what dog it was, or who it belongod to ; not a bit of it. The dogs in question were proved to bo quiet and honorable dogs; honoring all men, playing with children, und that they with Many a gambol frolicked o'er tlio grolirtd was also proved. Of thoir own knowledge' no' witness could say what dog it was that did tho deed. All the evidence went to say that they, the witnesses, wero told so and so. No proof whatever of any particular animal having done it was produced. Nor, so far as I could eee, could It.. The boys examined wore confuted. A funky individual made a rambling statement about a boy being bit, and eo on'. He taw no dogs, nor could lis tell the height of a fence, although he professed to have the practised eye of a painter. In tho face of mich evidence a verdict of 40b. and costs was given against a man v}lta had two dogs which were not proved to have done any hi arm. Defendant's counsol and tho Clerk of the Court mercifully saved another individual from making some statement or other which an over-erring officiousness prompted him to proifer. The Bench also accepted the recommendation of coun»el not to ask them to provS a negStivo—An absurdity. So ended this strange eventful history. Around from all the neighbouring streets Tho wondering neighbours ran, | And sworo the dog had lost lite wits I To bite so good a man. (say boy.) Tho wound it seemed both sons and sad i To every Christian eye; I And while they swore the do# was mad, I They siroro tho boy would die. j But soon ns wonder dame to Uglit, That shuwed the rogues they lie'd; - The boy recovered of tho bite. I ***** j Oliver Goldsmith can take tho rest; I refer to him. i Yotir3 truly, Boon Doo That.