The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1016, 2 January 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1880.

The "old year out and the new year in " was celebrated in a more than usually demonstrative manner in this town on on Wednesday night last, the crowds of people who filled the streets being far in excess of previous years on this auspicious occasion. Punctually at midnight a signal rocket was fired from Gilbert Stewart's Hotel, the fire-bell immediately after giving forth its awakening tones. A large number of places, including the firebell tower, were illuminated with colored fire, the display of rockets from Mr Stewart's from their extraordinary brilliancy and size exciting the general admiration of the assembled crowds. At the Resident Magistrates Court this morning, before Messrs Barff and Seddon, J.Ps., Annie Wells, for obscene language in a public street, was sentenced to one months' imprisonment with hard labor, the bench expressing a determination to inflict heavy punishment in all similar cases that might come before them. We regret to state that about 100 of the best operators in the Telegraph departments of the colony have struck in consequence of the reduction made in their salaries by the Government. The following stations have already struck .--Dunedin, Auckland, Blenheim, Napier, Invercargill, Oamaru, Waaganui, Giuhamstown, New Plymouth. At Dunedin, out of 2(j operators, 23 have stnuk ; and at Bbnheim, out of 21, the number off work is 21. This will be a great inconvenience to the public at large, and it is to be hoped that the Government will adopt some

measures by which this unfortunate state of affairs will be at once remedied. Several of the other events on the programme of the Main-street sports were contested on Wednesday afternoon last, and attracted a laige crowd of spectators. At their conclusion a 100 yards race was run between R. Howe and G. Stewart, which resulted in the former, who conceded 13 yards start, winning by about two feet. The remainder of the sports will be continued to-morrow, at noon, in the Main street, to which is added two special prizes by Mr Mulvihill, for Cumberland wrestling. Tenders are invited for the supply of of provision &c. for the Hospital for the ensuing year. All accounts against the Picnic Committee are requested to be sent in to the Secretary by Monday, evening next. We understand that some of the subscription lists given to the children have not yet been returned, and we would again impress on parents the necessity there is for seeing that their children comply with the request made at the beginning of the present week, by the secretary through our columns. The Hawke's Bay Courier refers to a strange coincidence in connection with the late suicide of Taylor, the Civil Service clerk. At one time he and two other young men named Gair and Dalgleish "bachelorised" together in Wellington. They separated less than a year ago, but each has since died by his own hand. Dalgleieh lies in Tasmanian soil; Gair sought " the dread unknown" at Tauranga; and Taylor's self-destruction completes the list.