The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1879.

Kumara Times, Issue 925, 17 September 1879, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1879.

With the exception of the election of another member for the Thames in place of Sir George Grey, all the returns of the elections are now in, and the result appears in another column of this paper. Summarising the result of these elections, we find that of the 87 members now returned 23 Ministerialists and 29 Oppositionists in the late Parliament have been again elected to the House. Of new members there are 18 Ministerialists and 17 Oppositionists, making in all a total of 46 Opposition members, and 41 in support of the present Ministry. In making this summary we have given the Government the benefit of any member who has been previously termed “doubtful” in our list of members. The following are the totals in each provincial district

A largely attended meeting of miners was held at Westbrook last evening at which resolutions were passed affirming the desirability of the construction of a track at the new rush. A petition was also numerously signed, with the same object, for presentation to the Greymouth County Council. The Christchurch coach which passed the Bealey at an early hour this morning had a heavy mail, but no passengers for Kauri ara. We regret to learn that the steamer Charles Edward, so long and favorably known as the most comfortable passenger boat on the Coast, is breaking up on the Grey bar. Several of the plates have started, owing to the grinding of the shingle. Mr Brown, the chief engineer of the Anchor Bine, was expected in Greymouth this morning to superintend the launching of the steamer. The first prize in Tonks’s Metropolitan Sweep was Avon by a person in Wanganui, the second by a company in Greymouth, and the third went to Wellington. In another column it will be seen that Mr Tonks has now opened a sweep on the Melbourne Cup, tickets for which can be secured either in Dillman’s Town or Kumar a. Mr' Dupre, watchmaker and jeweller, of Greymouth, will again visit Kumara on the 26th instant,- with a choice stock of jewellery, which will be open for inspection at the commercial rooni of Gilbert Stewarts hotel. In the meantime any articles of jewellery required, Mr Dupre’s services will receive prompt attention if left with Mr Stewart. The Press gives the following figures as showing that the complaints made in Canterbury of the hard times are not without reason. The number of declarations of insolvency filed at Christchurch alone during the past four months is—For April, 39 ; May, GO ; June, 48 ; July 44, Total, 194. Taking info account bad harvests for two years, it is not surprising that out of the above bankrupts 43 were farmers ; laborers aiid builders form a considerable portion of the balance. In addition to the ordinary method of “ going through the Court,” there were in the same period 43 persons who assigned their estates or made other arrangements with their creditors. The grand total of bankrupts for four months is 237. The' None Freie Presse of Vienna, which is supposed to have access to exceptional sources of information on Masonic subjects, gives the following statistics of the recognised lodges :—ln Ger-

mmiy, 342 ; Switzerland, 33 ; Hungary, 44 ; Koumania, 11 ; Scrvia, 1 ; Ireland, 330 ; Gibraltar, 5 ; Malta, 4 ; Sweden and Norway, 18 ; Franco, 287 ; Spain, 300 ; Portugal, 22 ; Italy, 110 ; Greece, 11 ; Turkey* 2G ; Egypt, 28 ; various parts of Africa, 25 ; South African Colonies, 01 ; Aden, 1 ; India, 118 ; among the islands of the Indian seas, 10 ; China, 13 ; Japan, 5 ; Australia, 22G ; the Australian Islands, 4 ; New Zealand, 84 ; the United States of North America, 894 ; Canada, 535 ; Cuba, 30 ; Hayti, 32 ; Mexico, 13 ; Brazil, 250 ; in the other South American State?, 179. Tho number of Freemasons on December 3ist, 1878, exceeded 5,000,000. It will be noticed that there are some very important omissions in the enumeration of the Viennese paper. Great Britain, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, and Prussia have been quite passed over.

Auckland*...-..,-.. Ministerial. Opposition. 15 2 Taranaki 0 3 Hawkes Bay 0 3 Wellington 3 7 Nelson . 3 6 Marlborough 0 3 Westland . 3 0 Canterbury 7 7 Otago 8 13 Maori districts.. . 2 2 Totals 4l 46