The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1878.

Kumara Times, Issue 537, 17 June 1878, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1878.

In our local columns reference is -made 10 the nton-iti'r— wh, might almost say (he monstrous—meeting held in the Theatre. lUyal on Saturday evening, ostensibly to consider the question of the Ter mabui ! ridge Our principal reason for refraining fr<ui: puUi-hing frill reports of the speeches delivered is that to do so would he to a:--s ; st in perpetuating a personal feud, and to place on record proceedings which . ho sooner

they are forgotten the better. The simple facts of the case are tint as it had been generally reported in town that there had open some unauthorized interference with respect to the site fothe Teremakan bridge, a preliminary meeting was cal'ed to consider whether there, were sufficient grounds foi* calling the pni.lie together to take action in the mutter. This preliminary meeting attended by thirty-six of the principal rei sidents, believed that those who spoke hud. shewn " good and sufficient cnuse," and thereaultwas theormvdedmeetinwof Fridaynight,at which the followingresolution was pnssed : —" This meeting regrets that any attempts have been made to interefere with the site of the Teren akau l>iidge, inasmuch as such effort-, if not neutralised by public action, would inevitably result in the vote for the bridge lapsing, and no bridge hem" built." There are, wo are fully aware, difference of o; anion ns to whether upon a mere technicality the Chairman's ruling was cot teet, but there can be none thsit four-fifths of those present supp.-rted the above resolution. The next eveni'ig (Saturday) a still more largely attended meeting wks held in the snrae place, and although the convener of it hoped to neutralise the effect f>f the above-quoted resolution, it wns continued by a majority that can only be described a« overwhelming This much good has resnltel from the'struggle—it has proved ineontestably that public spiiit is not stagnant here, that the people will not brook unwarranted interference with their af- i fiirs, and that there is a vevy decided I concensus of opinion with respect to the ! site of the proposed bridge. On the I other hand, it is much to be regretted that gross personalities should have been indulged in on both sides, and that into the consideration of a qiiestion unconnected with politics, there should have been imported all the i virulence and some of the violence of i a party fight. The Mayor, Mr iSeddon, believing himself to be the subject of a j personal attack, picked up the gauntlet ! perhaps a little too promptly, and fought, ' the fight too fiercely ; i.nt, on the other ' hand it must bo admitted that. Mr Barlf j failed to fasten upon Mr Seddon the op- : probium of having been the peison who, i it has been alleged, was guilty of the in- j terference which has boen the subject ; of so much animadversio...

In winding up all allusion to this rather nnple-tsanL.Kuhp>ct, vve may be permitted to say that, whether there have Or have not been misrepresentations made to the Minister of Public Works, we feel assured that they would not, be listened to ; and that the Government guided by the advice; of competent engineers, will place the bridge on the site where it will he safest, cheap.-st, and, subject to these conditions, of most use to the community whose requirements it is intended to nn-et.

We are compelled to hold over late Australian telegrams' and our Mining Report. On Saturday evening a densely-packed public meeting, called by his Worship the Mayor, was held in the Theatre Royal, for the purpose of considering the resolution passed on the preceding evening, relative to the Teremakau bridge. , Mr Hamilton Chiming occupied the chair, and the proceedings throughout were of a most noisy and disorderly character. .A resolution confirming that passed on Friday was carried by a very large majority. The uproar was so great that it was impossible for even those on the platform to hear the speakers. For reasons expressed in our leading columns, we consider it unadvisable to report the two meetings at length. The following was Mr Seddon's resolution referred to in the fore"oinc ■leader :—"That in the opinion of this •meeting the action of C. Y. O'Connor in having trial surveys made for approaches to upper site for bridge is commendable, and should the structure be placed there it would result beneficially to the .district, and whilst asking the Government to place the nridge in a safe position, due regard be taken that the contract be" let before the 30th June."

The annual meeting of the Licensing Court for the Greenstone District was held on Saturday last, at Greenstone, the commissioners present being W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M., W. H. Harrison, Esq., J. P., and J. W. Hiudmarsh, Esq. Ail the licenses applied for were granted.

The lire bell ran out an alarm at about eight o'clock last evening, the scene of the lire being a cottage in Main Road north, but owing to the promnitnde with which the Brigade under Captain King were on the spot, the damage was slight the r< >• >f only being burnt. Another tire of a far more serious nature was discovered at the Theatre Royal early this morning. Mr Aderson, the proprietor, was awakened by a crackling sound, and intrae.lintel y oil getting up found that the parlour next the bar was in Haines, but with the assistance of some neighbours and the police this was quickly extinguished. Had it been discovered a few moments later it would have been an impossibility to save the whole b: aiding. It will be seen- by advertiserar-nt that MrOroumbie-Browti's lecture, "' The Four IV announced to be delivered to-night, has been postponed until the evening of Monday next, 2Hh inst. Thy principal reason for this,' we believe, is that it has

been represented that many of the diggers would like to come into town to hear it; but that after having come in in such crowds to the public meetings held on Friday and Saturday evenings the interval would be too short. The lecturer is also desirous of not interfering in the slightest degree with the benefit to be given to Mrs Gaflhey.

The "larrikin" element was strongly represented at the public meeting held on Saturday evening last, and we would suggest that, in future, the attendance of a constable at the entrance-door to prevent their admission on these occasions would be highly beneficial. The ins\ifferable noises made by these boys was a source of great annoyance both to the speakers and the audience.

Tenders are invited for the collection of the County rate, and also the dog tax, for the year.

It will be seen by our telegrams that the Australian cricketers, in their second innings, scored precisely'the same number of runs as in their first innings. If this be correct the Longsight eighteen would thus have to score 72 in thensecond innings to win.

It is not usual to make responses in Presbyterian places of worship, although under some circumstances it may be pardonable. Last night the Rev Mr Falconer in the course of a prayer, made use of ttie words "Oh Lord, make our oalling and election sure," when immediately a heartfelt "Amen" proceeded from a corner in which one of the candidates in the coming Parliamentary contest was seated. The ground on which Mr Bulstrode's Club Hotel formerly stood has changed hands, Mr RholotF being the purchaser. A tribute to "British Volunteers," by John M'Clerry Stirling, of Deny, and a graphic description of the burning of the Austrian Lloyd's steamer Sphinx on her voyage from Cavalla to Latakia (on the extreme eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea), with loss of 500 lives, will be found on our 4th page. The Sphinx was completely destroyed from the bow to amidships, and all that it was expected could be saved were the engines. In "Wanganui the expenses incurred by Government in collecting the census were far from extravagant as some of the police who were employed in taking it were paid for their services the munificent sum of 10s to 15s each. One man thus paid rode about the country on a hired horse for several days in order to do the work.

Sydney now possesses its Blondin, in the person of James Perkins, who recently walked across a single wire stretched a distance of 1800 feet, and 400 feet above the surface of the water. The wire was rather thicker than that used for telegraphic lines. Perkins "performed his hazardous journey in a 'most intrepid manner, displaying the utmost coolness throughout, and finished amidst the loud ajjplause of those who were present.