A NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE

NZ Truth, Issue 852, 18 March 1922, Page 6

A NIGGER IN THE WOODPILE

"Sleeping With Mrs Green '*

(From "Truth's-" Hamilton Rep.) Noticing an old acquaintance ambling into Rotorua on a horse, a native named Matene Te Huake, who'was practically "stoney," saw m a bushman named Charles B. Dewar, a possible key to the alcoholic reservoir, and he promptly bowled up to him. Dewar had come m from the bush, and asked Huake where he could find a paddock for his 'horse. Huake promised to find a suitable grazing ground. The oracle worked, and Dewar shouted a couple of drinks, and then, knowing Huake of old, declared that he had no more money. Tho Maori then mounted the horse and rode off with the remark that he was going to get some money. He returned without the steed but with several pound notes, which he' proceeded to splash m the Grand Hotel. . When Dewar asked fpr his horse. Huake, after a lot of pressure, took him to a locked paddock, m which Bucephalus was peacefully grazing. Dewar went m to get the animal, when the owner of the property, an old man named Markley, told him he had bought it for £3 from Huake. As a result, Huake was charged before Mr. Justice Stringer, at Hamilton, with the theft of the horse, saddle and bridle, valued at £15. Charles Barclay Dewar. who is. a fencer, of Paengaroa, narrated the incidents that led up to prisoner' riding away on the horse, and said that when Huake returned he patted his pocket and said, "I got te hundred quid here." • Cross-examined by Mr. J. Carter, for accused, witness, admitted telling prisoner he had only 2s 6d on him at the time.. This was not correct, however, but he knew what a sponger 'Huake was. ' . y Mr. Carter : And where did you sleep that night ? — With Mrs. Green ! Mr. Carter: Oh! but did you not say m the Lower Court that you slept m the bush ? — Weill that's the same thing; we call sleeping under the stars SLEEPING WITH MRS. GREEN. (Laughter.) Mr. Carter: Who were you, speaking j to when prisoner returned without the horse? — With a little deaf ■ soldier. Mr. Carter : And did he buy you j any drinks? — No; he said straight out that he was broke and that ends him, so drop him. (Laughter.) Mr\ Carter : And if the little deaf man says that Huake gave you money m the hotel, is he speaking the truth? — No, absolutely no. .Mr. Carter: And did not the accused speak to you yesterday and ask you for the money back ?— lf he has been telling you all this. Mr. Carter, he has been pulling your leg. (Laughter.) . T~ Witness added that the Maori, later on m the hotel threw a pound note and some silver on the counter, and said, "We'll cut this out." George Markley, retired farmer, of King Street, Rotorua, said prisoher was formerly m his employ. On the day m question prisoner came along and said he had just bought a horse for £2 from a Mabri. and offered it to witness for £3. Witness wrote out a chenue for the amount asked. Witness asked for a receipt but prisoner said he was m a great hurry to pay i the Maori before the latter got drunk. He promised to bring the receipt back later. Instead, however, he brought back Dewar," who said he came for his horse. After an argument, m which prisoner took no part, Dewar went to ring up the police. When lie had gone, prisoner remarked that Dewar was A BLOOMING HUMBUG. Prisoner said that he and Dewar had a few drinks m the hotel, and when their money was cut out, he (prisoner) suggested going out to collect some from Markley, who owed him £3. When he asked Markley for something on account, the latter wrote him out a cheque for £3, which he (prisoner) took for a polite discharge. He left the horse m the paddock because he thought Dewar would be staying with him that night. "When prisoner returned to the he handed Dewar £% 12s 6d. Prisoner 1 was found guilty, and was admitted to probation for two years, conditional upon paying the > cost of the, prosecution,, refunding the £ 3 to Markley, and prohibiting himself for the period of his probation.