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Kumara Times, Issue 849, 20 June 1879, Page 2

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, the only business was one or two civil cases of no public interest. The Licensing Court was opened at noon to-day, and afterwards adjourned till one o’clock, when a large number of applications were heard and determined, the full report of which will appear in our next issue.

' A meeting of the School Committee was held at the Town Hall, yesterday afternoon, at which tenders were opened and one accepted for alterations to the Greenstone school-house. A report from the visiting committee, Messrs Birch and Campbell, recommending some repairs and papering to the head-master’s house was received and adopted. Lovers of the “light fantastic” will haye ample opportunity this evening of enjoyment to their hearts’ delight, as /balls are announced at the Roy .1, Ross, .and.'Butlers hotels.

- At the termination of the inspection parade of the Greymouth Rifle Rangers last evening, the Bishop of Nelson, who was present, addressed the men, and strongly'advocated the advantages of drill generally. His Lordship also presented the Company with a cheque for. £3 3s, as a prize to be competed for on the rifle range under such conditions as the shooting committee might appoint.

The Sydney Town and Country Journal of a recent date, in an article on the question of capital punishment, gave the following table, showing that in the decade from 1864 to 1874 three-fourths of those condemned to death in the Australasian Colonies received commutations of their sentences Sentenced to death— Tasmania, 32 ; Victoria, 96 ; Queensland, 21 ; New South Wales, 141 ; South Australia, 13 ; New Zealand, 150. Hanged —Tasmania, 6; Victoria, 38 ; Queensland, 18 ; New South Wales, 35 ; South Australia, 4 ; New Zealand, 22. Reprieved—Tasmania, 26 ; Victoria, 58; Queensland, 3 ; New South Wales, 106 ; South Australia, 9 ; New Zealand, 128. From the meagre telegrams in San Francisco papers we find that the match with Lord Harris’s team at New York began on May 7. The Englishmen went first to the wickets, and scored 239 foxfour wickets. Next day the remaining men only made 14, and the Americans, whose strength is not mentioned, made 40 for six wickets before lunch. After dinner the match was continued, and closed at three o’clock, the Americans being defeated by an innings and 114. The total score was—English, 253 ; Americans, first innings, 84, second innings, 55. R. Newhall made 23, and Souter, 11, the highest scores on the American side, and the only double figures. In order to fill up time some batting and fielding exhibitions were given by both teams.

A curious circumstance is narrated by the Freemantle Herald of April 26 : “ The boy who was unfortunately killed by lightning at the Siibiaco Orphanage was found after death to have a fig leaf and geranium, which he was, holding in his hand, photographed on his breast. Another boy, who was in the number of those who were stunned but not injured further, was found, when examined, to have a figleaf photographed on his foot, which. was at the same time swollen by its contact with the electric fluid.”