The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1879.

Kumara Times, Issue 989, 1 December 1879, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1879.

A meeting is convened by Ids Worship the Mayor, at the Town Hall, this evcumg, to form a committee for the purpose of giving the children of tins district their annual treat on New Year’s day. We would particularly point out that this treat is intended for all the children of the district, irrespective of class, creed, or school; and we t&ist, in order to carry out this most desirable object, that the ministers of the various denominations, the i epi csentatives of every school, and also the public generally will attend at the Town Hall this evening, and organise a strong Committee for that purpose. To allow an opportunity of attending the Rev. Mr Bruce’s lecture at the Theatre, the meeting will be held at seven o’clock sharp, Y e would remind those who wish to enjoy an evening intellectually and pleasantly that the Rev. D. Bruce will deliver a lecture to-night at the Theatre Royal on that celebrated American General “ Stonewall Jackson.” The subject of the rev. gentleman’s lecture is one that should attract a large audience, as the history of the hero of one of the greatest civil wars of modern times, is one that allows a large scope for the descriptive powers of the lecturer. There were twenty-two acceptors for the chess handicap tournament up to Saturday night; but as the weather was sufficiently unpropitions to deter man}' from coming into town, the managing committee have resolved to extend tire time for accepting till to-morrow evening, in order to give those who reside at a distance another opportunity of competing in this interesting contest. It is intended” we observe, to submit the rules which the handicappors have drawn up for the regulation of playing for the approval of the competitors at a meeting of the same

at Rugg s Hotel to-morrow evening, at eiglit o’clock. The following are the names of those who have already accepted —Messrs Palmer, Janion, llev. E. A. Scott, Messrs Ball, Betrie, Wksner, Bent, Wylde, Homeman, Toms, Pierson, Connell, Johnson, Rigby, Kennedy, Thome, Brooks, Bell, Evm-ctt, MTvcuzio, Dennett, Moss. A splendid specimen of local manufacture in the form of a shoeing hammer, made by Sir D Williams, of this town, is now on view at the shop of Messrs Campbell and Kettles, Sedclon street. The hammer, which is of steel, has four different faces, each made expressly for a distinct purpose, and the whole article shows a finish, that would bear favorable comparison with aiiy imported tool of a similar nature. The first competition for a handsome barometer presented to the Greymouth llifle Rangers by the Bishop of Kelson took place on their rifle range last Saturday. The conditions were as follows ; 200, 400, 500, and 000 yards, five shots at each range ; any position throughout ; targets and scoring as for General Government prize firing. Six competitions, and the competitor making the highest aggregate score in four competitions to be the winner. Volunteer Hartley was the highest scorer with 68 on this occasion. The members of onr local Contingent are arc now anxiously awaiting the arrival of his Lordship the Bishop of Christchurch in the hopes he may be similarly generously disposed. The “Kew Zealand Times” of Wednesday says :—A monument has been erected in the new cemetery at Wick, in memory of the late Mr Alexander Reid, who was accidentally drowned from the steames Taupo, in Cook Strait, on March Wn, 1878, whilst on a journey to visit a brother at Auckland. The late Mr Reid was one of the best known journalists in Kew Zealand, and was very highly esteemed. The monument was erected by friends of the deceased gentlemen in Kew Zealand, who raised subscriptions and forwarded them to Mr Reid’s father forth e purpose of having a monument erected to his memory. A new swivel bridge, crossing the Liffey river, Custom House, Dublin, has been opened for traffic. The iron portion is 120 ft. long, worked on a swing, supported on a massive pier in the centre of the river, When open, two openings, each 40ft. wide, are left at each side for the passage of vessels. A novel use of the carrier pigeon has just been recorded. Two of the pigcoiis used by the Trinity Corporation, for communicating between the lightships and the shore, brought a cipher message into Harwich on Wednesday morning to the effect that a vessel was in distress in the vicinity of the lightship oft - that part of the coast.