The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1878.

Kumara Times, Issue 702, 28 December 1878, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1878.

The Children’s Treat Committee met last evening at the Council Chambers, when the tenders for the privilege of erecting a booth in Messrs Keech and Molloy’s paddock for the supply of refreshments on New Year’s Day were opened. Mr Rohloff a tender was accepted, two others received being informal. We observe that the final meeting of the Committee (prior to New Year’s Day) is mnounced for Monday evening next, when a full attendance is requested. There is hardly a resident of this county but will learn with regret that Mr Inspector O’Donnell leaves here at the commencement of the new year, to take charge of the Dunstan Police district of 3tago. From the formation of this gold--seld Mr O’Donnell has, by the tact he fias displayed in carrying out the many unpleasant duties appertaining to his office, earned for himself the respect and jood-will of its inhabitants. We understand that, as a slight mark of the high esteem in which he is held, a number of bhe leading citizens of the town intend entertaining him at a banquet on Monday evening-next, previous to his departure. The drawing of Tonks’s Consolation Sweep in the Champion Race took place it Greymouth last evening, the .winning numbers of which appear in our advertising columns. The following horses were drawn in tickets sold by Mr Gilbert Stewart : Calamia, Proposal, Sunset, Vulcan, Woodlawn, Emerald, Philistine, and Chester. An unfortunate case of suicide through mental derangement occurred' at Qreyraouth this morning. It appears that a miner well known here, named Alexander Borsted, was walking with some of his mates on the wharf before breakfast, when, just as they were leaving it, Borsted was heard to made some strange remark and was observed to take off his coat. One of those present with him, having an idea of his intention, tried to grasp him by the arm, but without success, as Borsted immediately jumped from the wharf into the river. Owing to the tremendous fresh running, he disappeared ilmost instantaneously, his hat only being ffiserved in the water. His brother, who ia an inmate of the Greymouth Hospital, was injured, here a short time ago by the Falling of a tree. We may acquaint says the West Coast rimes the leaseholders on the Kumara Reserve, that the Education Commissioners intend shortly taking steps to rejover the arrears of rents due. The bank lias notified to the Commissioners that the overdraft amounting to nearly £SOO must be liquidated. There are arrears of rent amounting to nearly that sum, and as no steps are likely to be taken regarding the lifting of the reserve, the Commissioners will have to enforce payment of the rents. At a meeting of the School Commissioners held on the 14th inst., Dr Giles stated that he had forwarded to. the Government his report upon the petition of leaseholders at Kumara, that the reserve should be lifted. The substance of his recommendation is to the followingeffect “That all similar endowments on goldfields should be made by statute, subject to the ordinary laws and regulations relating to goldfields. That miners’ rights and business licenses should have free cur rency upon them, and that they should be under the jurisdiction of the Warden’s Court. The revenue arising from miners’ rights, business licenses, and other goldfields privileges to be paid over to the body for whose benefit the endowment was made, an estimate of the amount of such revenue being made as nearly as circumstances will admit in each particular case.” The Ross Guardian of the 23rd inst, tenders a most ample apology to Mr John M'Qaffln for publishing inadvertently a shameless attack upon his reputation and public actions in the form of a letter bearing the signature of Mr P. W. Ryan, of this town. The foot race between Hewitt and Inman took place in the Friendly Societies’ Gardens, Melbourne, on Saturday, the 30th nit. The distance was 100 yards, Hewitt conceding 14 yards start. Inman was never caught, and won by about four yards. Edwards, who is known as the long-distance champion walker, has arrived in Melbourne, and will shortly give an exhibition there of his powers. He has lately been performing at Bathurst, where he walked 110 miles in the 24 hours. At Christchurch, N.Z., he walked 105 miles in 23 hours 63 minutes, and altogether he has walked 74 matches against time in various parts of England, America, _ Australia, and New Zealand. He experiences some difficulty in finding a suit able arena on which to exhibit his pedestrian powers, but in all probability he vail appear on the Melbourne cricketgvomui in a short time.

Charles Stewart has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Napier for neglecting to deliver up a letter, when demanded, which had been given to him by the Postal authorities by mistake. David Wilson, of the Bruce Volunteers, was lately arrested at Milton for practising with his rifle at a resident named Mrs Lilbume, Fortunately Wilson Was a bad shot, and the lady escaped being riddled.

1 The Rev. Charles Clark, when lecturing recently at Adelaide, showed his faith in the future of that city by investing a thousand pounds in the purchase of suburban land.

New South Wales has taken at Paris the grand prize for wool, nine gold medals, seventeen silver medals, seventeen bronze medals, and twenty-six certificates of merit.

A discovery, which may possibly turn out to be of great importance, has just been made in America. It is that good sugar can be made from the stalks of Indian com. The matter is considered of such general interest that the Government of the United States has taken the matter up, and the Agricultural Department is carrying out experiments to determine whether the manufacture on a large scale would be commercially profitable. By the side of the carriage-drive In Messrs Garraway’a nursery at Bristol may be seen growing a very fine example of the New Zealand Flax, Phomiium tenax, some 10 feet high. Its broad, somewhat erect, spear-shaped foliage, differing in both form and color from everything else, renders it a very suitable plant either for a prominent position in the front of shrubs, or as a specimen in grass, or in combinations of mixed fine-leaved plants, especially such as are of a spreading character, to which it would afford a striking contrast. At a late hour on the night of September 23, a visitor to the travelling menagerie at Hanley, in England, got inside the ropes near the lioness’s cage. The animal got her paws out, and grabbed the poor fellow, tearing the left side of his face open and destroying the muscles of his right shoulder and arm. Just as he was being dragged into the den, the keeper appeared, and rescued him in a terrible condition.

Mr W. Willwav having sold his plant and interest in the Dyeing Business to Mr R. Upjohn (who has become practically acquainted with the trade), begs to solicit the kind patronage hitherto afforded him to his successor.—Mrs" Upjohn announces that she is prepared to clean and dye hats, feathers, gloves, <fcc., in the beat style. N.B.—Gentlemen’s clothes cleaned, dyed, pressed, and repaired on the premises.— Advt. For miraculous cures by the use of Eucalypti Extract, read fourth page.— [Advx.J