The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1870.

Kumara Times, Issue 867, 11 July 1879, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1870.

The anniversary bail and supper of the Bible and Crown Loyal Orange Lod"e will be held at the Public Hall this evening. We understand a large number of tickets have been disposed of, and it is to be hoped that the present unpropitious state of the weather will not interfere with the attendance of the fair and gentle sex.

At an adjourned meeting of the Westland County Council, in Hokitika, on Wednesday evening last, the three members for this district (Messrs Seddon, Handle, and M'Whirtcr) were conspicuous by their absence. Probably the members eferred to will be able to give their constituents a satisfactory account why this united action on their part was rendered necessary.

Reuben Venue, the young Maori artist, whose pictures have been very favourably noticed lately, died at Putiki recently. Just before his death lie requested tha his easel, together with, his pictures, should be buried with him. Considering the circumstances under which the little fellowpicked up his knowledge of colours, he certainly showed remarkable talent,

A late yield from the Band and Albion Consols mine, Bullarat, for a week" was 0540 z. 13dwt., of which the splendid return of 500ozs. was obtained from sixty - hve tons of stone, or an average of 7,«. 14dwt. per ton.

Anew tree-grubbing machine lias been made at trees 13m. in

with surprising quickness, and by cutting a few of the .surface roots trees 30in. through were raised.

Lord Joho Manners, replying to Mr Gosohen, in the Houso of Commons recently, said that since 1874, when the new mail contract came into force, the Peninsular and Oriental Si earn Navigation Company had made 117 late arrivals, incurring penalties amounting to £32,000, as the result of the absolute penalty system now m force. Had the premiums for early arrival of mails withhin the same period been retained in the present contract, and calculated as in the former contract, at half the amount of penalties, the Company who had made G 44 early arriv 1* would been entitled to received £92,41)3. The Straits Times of May 20 publishes the following sensational story—" Captain \\*. S. Davidson, master of the s.sKiushiu Maru, and John M'Kecknie, his chief oiticer, have forwarded the following statement to the Hiogo News, and the editor vouches for them as being men ' above suspicion' : —Saturday April 5, at a quarter-past 11 a.m., Cape Satano distant about nine miles, the chief officer and myself observed a whale jump clear out of the sea, about a quarter of a mile away. Shortly after it leaped out again, when I saw there was something attached to it . Got glasses, and on the next leap distinctly saw something holding on to the belly of the whale. The latter gave one more spring clear of the water, and myself and chief mate then observed what appeared to be large creature of the snake species rear itself about 30ft. out of water. It appeared to be about the thickness of a junk's mast and after standing for p„bout ten seconds in an erect position it descended into the water, the upper end going first." The public festival in celebration of the silver wedding of the Emperor and Empress of Austria were brought to a close on April 27 by grand civic procession, which had been deferred for several days on account of the bad state of the weather. It was the grandest artistic display ever seen in the city, and it attracted an enormous crowd of spectators. The Emperor and Empress expressed themselves deeply moved by the spontaneous evidence of sincere love which greeted them on all sides from people of all ranks and stations. By an amnesty granted, 377 prisoners were released, and 10.000 florins were given to the poor of Vienna.