OUR KUMARA LETTER.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 12 March 1901, Page 2

OUR KUMARA LETTER.

(our own correspondent.)

I am glad to be able to report that Mr Henry Burger (sen.), who underwent a serious operation at tho hands of Drs. Scott and C. Morrice, is doing well. Two or throe weeks should see him about again. In • the several operations he has undergone, though suffering much, he has shown a wonderful vitality. It would be a happy consumation and one earnestly to be wished that he may enjoy many years of uninterrupted good health when ho returns home onoe again. Your remarks in last night's issue in reference to the insufficiency of telegraphic communication applies with equal force here as well as elsewhere. Business men too often find to their sorrow that it takes from one to three hours to send a wire to

say Ohristohurch. This is I learn owing to the block on the lines. There is of course a remedy for this. Make the wires "urgent," but to ono having much business that course is costly, hence one would favor seeing the Government como to the rescue, but what hope is there until after the end of the Financial year. I wonder if the members of tho Grey County Council have resolved to follow the exarapie of the Government and revel in big surpluses. If not, how account for tho fact that the Greenstono Junction Company's claim valued last year at £IOOO, is this year set down at tho respectable figure of £18,200. How is that for high'? £12,200 for a rise and not a sod turned meantime to prove- that the valuo of tho property justifies an increase of over 1300 per pent on last year's rateable value, Perhaps the valuer has divined by sotuo mysterious means the value of tho hidden treasures. Let us hope that, it so, his divination will prove reliable. I should say than shares in the Keostonc boring machine plant will bo procurable at a discount. In any easel would like to see she valuer's services suitably rewarded by the eouneillrs. Then wo might, expect the figures of 1002 to ap-pro-\uu*te i'15.300,000. Ono never knows. As for 1908, well, that appalls me, i: requires a financier. I wonder hew many other companies aro in a similar position. The annual meeting of tho claim holders of tho No 5 channel was held last evening. There was a good muster. The businoss of the evening was tho reception of tho balance sheet, which was adopted and tho election of trustees to manage the channel for the ensuing year. Tho following gentlemen were elected :—■ Messrs P. Thorn, D. Brown. H Burger (jnr), H. Morgan, P. lvandy, and D. Thompson. Tho channel was vested in Messrs Thorn, Brown and D Thompson, as Legal Trustees. The pontoons for ihe Teremakau Gold Dredging Co. are rapidly approaching completion. The caulkers are hard at work, and when the tower is erected and that will be shortly, the job may bo considercd as complete. Messrs A. Black and J. Brown the contractors, expect to be completed in four weeks. A few days more and we will have the music of the buckets on the Greenstone Creek claims.

You say Mr Editor, that the Kumara Jockey Club did not inform their representative at the racing conference of the clashing of dates with Hokitika, hence the blame must be apportioned to them,

That may bo so as far as the first part is concerned, but then you forget that Kumara was not aware of Hokitika'3 intentions the latter having, so to speak, only emerged from their shell within the last couple of months. Prior to that it was all vague rumour, Tho underhand work that failed last year is crowned with an apparent success this time. However, "Onco bitten, twice shy."