The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1025, 14 January 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1880.

The Christchurch coach with two passengers and four bags of mails passed the Bealey early this morning. Mails for the United Kingdom and Australian Colonies, per s.s. Ringarooma, clos at the Bluff at 4 p.m. on Friday, 16th instant. During the last few days several parties have obtained good prospects on the Shamrock Lead, in some new ground that has been pegged out in that locality. Pending the thorough prospecting of the ground in question, we refrain from giving an opinion as to its payable nature or otherwise.

Preparatory to opening the Library in. connection with the Kumara Literary Tn» stitute, the Committee of that institution have resolved to canvass the town for contributions of books to supplement those now procured. One gentleman, Dr James, of Hokitika, has kindly presented about two dozen volumes ; and no doubt many of our readers have books, they have read and could well spare, which would' be thankfully received by the Committee. I We understand, that a church parade of the local Volunteer Rifle Contingent will be held or Sunday next, on the occasion of his Lordship the Bishop of the Diocese visiting this town„ The annual picnic of the Church of England, which was held in Mr Clarke's paddock at Hokitika yesterday, was a great success, over 2000 persons being on the ground. The Primate and : the "Vpn» Archdeacon Harper were pre«ent, the latter contributing greatly, as of yore> to the amusement of the children*

From the bona fide success that has attended all Mr Gilbert Stewart's consultations on the various great sporting events of the Australian eolonies, at the solicita* tion of a number of his patrons he again intends shortly opening "another on the Sydney Gold Cup,

Mrs Ritson, whose husband was Unfortunately killed by a mining accident some few months ago, -announces that she has now opened the Greymouth Hotel, in Seddon street, where visitors who may favor her with their patronage will find every comfort and convenience. At a station near Bundaberg, not far from Gympie, four clergymen happened to meet by pvire accident, and as is customary in the bush, Were hospitably received by the wife of the owner who was absent from home on business. Before retiring for the evening it was suggested that prayers should be read, and then it transpired that not one of the reverend travellers had a prayer-book with him» After an excellent extempore petition, heartily joined in, the hostess placed some unopened bottles of spirits upon the table, apologising for being without a corkscrew in the house. Each of the four persons simultaneously produced his knife, and, to the amusement of all, each knife had as part of its construction an efficient cork--screw. This story is told by one of the four.

Sir Henry Bessemer is constructing an observatory to contain an enormous telescope capable of magnifying five thousand times. The Bessemer telescope will not have a metal (speculum, as Sir Henry has discovered a method of grinding glass to the required curvature. The observatory itself is a marvel of skill. The entire upper room revolves on a circular railway by hydraulic power, Bubject to a touch of the finger of the astronomer, who thus enjoys all the advantages of otit-door observation combined with the comfort of his own library. Frank Frayne, an Amerioan, who calls himself a "shooting star" actor, has devised a way of endangering two lives at once in his stage rifle feats. He shoots an apple off his wife's head, and the bullet

hits mechanism attached to the trigger of a second rifle, from which is shot a bullet piercing an apple suspended close over his own head. Mrs Frayne has only one thumb. The other was popped off by her husband last winter. Sydney Owen, reader of Indian history at Oxford, is editing a selection of the Duke of Wellington’s despatches and letters, with an essay on his administration in India.