The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1879.

Kumara Times, Issue 734, 5 February 1879, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1879.

An election of a member for the vacantseat in the Borough Council will take place to-morrow. Messrs H. Fitzsiimnons and J. Miller are the candidates nominated for the honor.

A meeting of the Hospital Committee will be held at the Secretary's office, Main street, this evening. We.understand that in consequence of so few registrations having been taken out for dogs within the borough, it is the intention of the authorities to enforce the law in this respect, aud that all persons being possessed of unregistered canine specimens after Monday next will be proceeded against without further notice. A grand amateur musical and literary entertainment will be given in • aid of the building fund of the Wesleyan Church, at the Theatre R.iy.il, on Friday evening next. The programme, which abounds in choice vocal selections, will also be interpersed with connective readings by the Rev. J. Newman Buttle, illustrative of the life and character of " Eva," in " Uncle Tom's Cabin," and, as this is a subject glowing with incidents of tlu; most thrilling nature, the entertainment will be of a highly interesting and edifying character.

A sitting of t'.ie District Court in Bankruptcy was held at Hokitika yesterday, before his Honor Judge Weston, at which final orders of discharge were granted to Patrick Burke and John Foster, both of Dillman'sTown.

The whole of the furniture and fittings of the Post-office Hotel, Hokitika, will (under instructions from Messrs F. A. Learmonth and Co.) be submitted by public auction to-morrow, the auctioneers being Messrs Pollock and Bevan, who will commence the sale at 11 o'clock sharp. The bailiff to the R.M. Court, Wellington, has been licensed to sell stamps, under the provisions of the Stamp Act, for the convenience of those who have to pay their Court fees in stamps. A curiosity in natural history was discovered on the banks of the Mararoa river about a week since. It consisted of a bird, closely resembling the takahe, or as Dr Baker describes it, notornis. The bird had apparently been killed by a rabbit dog. It is in good preservation, and in the possession of Mr Connor, manager of Captain Hankinson's station.: This bii'd belongs to a class only two specimens of which have been discovered in the world, and they are in the Britsh Museum.

Some amusing stories are in circulation on the manner in which the Native Minister was deputationised when he was at the Thames. One man who had constituted himself the representative of some important interest (probably his own), was last on the list, and, wearied with waiting, he had so frequently refreshed himself at the hotel bar that, when his turn came, he was suffering from a complication of sleep and other disorders. Mr Sheehan escaped him. Several persons who had failed to see Mr Sheehan on shore, pulled out, and fastened their boat to the Stella, so that he was compelled to speak to them from the steamer's deck.

In Wellington, the plan has been adopted of making known the locality of a fire by lamp signals from the Boulcott-street tower. The Fire Brigade stations have also been connected by wire with each other, and with the police station, so that the officer in charge of the police station being notified, will be able to ring the alarm.

A new intoxicant has been brought into the little village of Draperstown in the north of Ireland. It is simply methylated ether, and came into use in the following way :—Father Matthew had almost banished drunkenness from the, town, when some lineal descendant of tlie serpent of Eden brought the ether bottle to the town, and induced the.people to drink from it by telling them that its contents were not of the same nature as whiskey, and they were not, therefore, forbidden by their pledge. As it was cheap and "produced very agreeable sensations, it soon became a favourite beverage. The effect passes off very rapidly without urging the victim either to crime or violence, and hence it is much less dangerous to the individual and society than alcoholic stimulants, . For miraculous cures by the use of Eucalypti Extract, read fourth page.— [Advt.]

Mr W. Willway having sold his plant and interest in the Dyeing Business to Mr R. Upjohn (who lias 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, &c, in the best style. N.B.—Gentlemen's clothes cleaned, dyed, pressed, and repaired on the premises.—Advt.