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Kumara Times, Issue 406, 14 January 1878, Page 2

Some amongst our unbelieving subscribers are dubious as to the authenticity of the cablegram published in the Kumara. Times of Saturday evening respecting the total defeat of the Turkish army in Europe, because the same news has not subsequently appeared in either the Grey River Argus or West Coast Times. It is not the first occasion upon which the Kumaba Times has out-distanced its older contemporaries in the early publication of important war intelligence ; and if any of our readers are still doubtful as to the bona fides of the. cablegram here more particularly referred to, we shall be happy to show them the original from Reuteri A number of charitably-disposed ladies in Kumara are, we are given to understand, about taking steps to establish a Benevolent Society. On Saturday evening an unfortunate accident happened to William Spindeler, the eldest son of Mr Spindeler, of the Crown Hotel. He was running to see a bush fire at the back of the main street, and stumbled over a stump, coming to to the ground with such force as to break his arm below the elbow. The little fellow is doing well. An interesting rifle match took place, at the butts on Saturday afternoon between the Secretary of the Cricket Club and a local Volunteer, the latter conceding' 20 points to the former in consideration of' his not being a Volunteer. The ranges were 200, 400, and 500 yards, seven shots at each ; and the result of the firing was that the secretary won by 12 points, the total scores being 68, 56. • To-day" a number of 'men were employed in removing the telegraph-poles in the Main street from their awkward positions nearly in the centre of the roadway, to the edge of the sidewalk on the west side of the street. ; A parade of the Kumara contingent of the First Westland Rifles will take plage to-morrow evening in the Public Hall, at 8 p.m. Lieut. Spence will be in attendance j for the yearly musketry instructions; and, | the attention of members is directed to a memo, on the subject appearing inour advertising columns. • - i - MessrsF. A. Learmonth and Co., of Hokitika, have established , a branch ci their business in Kumara, having taken the premises lately occupied by* Messrs Joshua Gibson and Co., in Seddon street. The sale of Mrs Wilson's property will take plafce on Thursday next, 17th inst v His Honor Judge Weston, who was present upon the occasion-of the inauguration of the Hochstetter'Water Race the other day, said in the course' of .a speech made at the banquet that "he regarded this day as a most important one in the history of the district;" and the special reporter of the Grey River Argus, who gave a lengthy and most interesting history of the undertaking, pronounces it "the greatest public work constructed in the Grey district, and upon which/its future welfare and prosperity largely depends " The average number of m6n employed on the construction of the race was about 200. The total length of the : main race, 16 miles 24 chains ; and of the branch line, 1 mile 57 chains, of which there is in rough numbers 7 miles of tunnelling. The carrying capacity.of .the race, with a fall of Bft per mile, 6ft Wide and 3ft deep, is. from 60 to 70 heads. The cost was over £IOO,OOO. The cup presented for competition'by Lieut. Learmonth, of Hokitika, to'jthe First Westland Rifles was won on Saturday last for the first time by Voluntfeer Davies, with the splendid score of 74 ht 7 shots, at 200, 400, and 500 yards. A contributor to the Grey River Argus, in somewhat horsey language, describes His Honor Judge Weston as " A light weight and full of breeding." The Charleston Herald is no more; after the fashion of the dying swan it sang its own requiem in the following pathetic words.—-" The publication of the Charleston Herald and Brighton Times, under the conduct of the present proprietory, ceases this day. We come to the conclusion to give up the Micawber-like fallacy of living on the hope that " something will turn up." The Dispatch Foundry Company of Greymouth is about to undertake the construction of a dredge after an American pattern, specially adapted for scooping out shingle, to be used in connection with the Grey River harbor improvements. The Post regrets to state that the number of deaths recorded in Wellington during last month reached the alarming total of 63, being by far the largest number ever yet recorded in Wellington. Mr Alexander, who recently took a Balliol scholarship at Oxford, is the first colonially educated man, who has attained that high honour. Mr Manders, M.H.R., met with a remarkably warm reception upon his arrival at Queenstown. A special telegram to the Dunedin Star, dated Queenstown, December 28th, .says :—" Mr Manders arrived last evening, and was met at the jetty with groans from a large number of persons, besides receiving the cold shoulder from his old friends. His ,effigy was burnt after being paraded through the town." '

During this week the Cabinet at Wellington will be engaged in considering their scheme for the re-organization of the Civil Service. At the last meeting of the Board of Education at Hokitika, a letter was read from James M'Hale, contractor, for clearing one acre of school reserve at Kumara, requesting the Board to make him some allowance; owing to the ground having frequently been flooded by the Okuku Water Race. The Secretary was directed to refer Mr M'Hale to the Okuku Water Race Company. It was resolved that the penalty due by the contractor for the Kumara school-house, viz, £124, be reduced to £SO. The agent read the report of .his visit to Kumara, and was authorised to appeal against the assessment of the Board's property, made by the Corporation. A letter, of which the following is the literal text, was recently picked up on the street; —Dere Gim cum Up to The hous too nite the old mans going to The lodge an mars Got the roomyfcisum so bad she kant here hurselfe sneeze be Sure An bring Sum of that kandy with sent ontoo it. cause we're.goin to have JMde Injuns for super. Yure own Julyana. The New Zealand Times says it is very well understood that Mr Reynolds's elevation to the Legislative Council will follow on his retirement, and that it will not require his solicitation to obtain an honor so well won. He retires in the fulness of his popularity, but will still be found a very active participator in public proceedings in as far as activity is compatible with ; the philosophical composure of that august chamber. Among his notes: by the mail, the Home correspondent of the "Otago Times" has the following:—The Sultan has had a dream of weighty import. Mohamed, the prophet, appeared to him, and bade him make peace at once as he valued his throne. Perhaps the prophet objects to; his particular green banner being dr; ggled in the Bulgarian mud. His Majesty at once sent for the chief astrologer, and the Sheik-ul-islam, who like the accommodating liars they are, at once remarked that they had had similar dreams. Whether the story is true, is not known,; but the Sultan is very superstitious, ' and such visions might much influence his views. _ The servicesof Mr John Officer, Provincial Auditor of Canterbury, have been dispensed with, and it is understood that,he will take the earliest opportunity of seeking to re-enter Parliament. ' 'Some surprise (says the Dunedin Herald) prevailed'on Tuesday in consequence of no mention having been made of what was intended to be done in the case of George Proudfoot, who stands re;nianded on a charge of rape. It was rumored that there is a hesitancy on the part of the Crown to undertake the responsibility of bringing the case to an end without a third trial, and that it would 1 gladly transfer the onus to Messrs Stewart and Denniston, who',' however, are not Jikely to accept it unless specifically instructed by the Crown. A subsequent telegram states that the prosecution waited instructions from Wellington. Hares are increasing to such an extent in Victoria that they are being utilised by the Colac Meat-Preserving Company. The severe weather that has lately occurred will be the forerunner of indisposition—such as rheumatism, sciatica, lumbago, neuralgia, and muscular shifting ipains. "Ghollah's Great Indian Cures" have been pronounced by numbers of well-known Coloniststo be the wonder of the Nineteenth Century, tlirough the extraordinary cures that have been effected in their own cases by these Indian medicines ; amongst these may be mentioned M. B. Hart, Esq. ex-Mayor of Christchurch; Melville Walker, Esq., J.P., of Lyttelton; John Griffen, Esq.J.P.,of Dunedin ; and Mr Alex. Mackintosh, of Mackintosh Bay, a very old colonist, and now 76 years of age, who had been suffering from rheumatism for fourteen years, but is now quite cured. Testimonials may , be seen and Medicines procured at all Medicine Vendors.—[Advt.]