The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1026, 15 January 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1880.

The members comprising that unfortunate body the Arahura Road Board, are again placed in an extraordinary position. Yesterday a meeting was convened at Stafford Town, to elect a Chairman to the Board for the present year ; on the same day, the following motion, moved by Mr M'Whirter and seconded by Mr Sandle, was carried in the Westland County Council :—"That this Council, by special order, declare the Road Board of the Arahura Road District, County of Westland, to be dissolved on and from the 11th February, 1880, and the said road district to be merged in the said County of Westland on and from the 11th February, 1880." How much longer is this farce to be carried out, to the detriment and expense of the ratepayers 1

Captain Edwin telegraphed yesterday as follows :—" Expect bad weather, any direction between east and north and north west. Glass rise but falling again, and wind backing within 12 hours." We are requested to state that at the late distribution of prizes to the children of the State School, one of the fourth prizes in the girls second class was (as there was a tie in the number of marks) inadvertantly not presented to Jessie Nicholson. The child, however, received her prize subsequently. A correspondent, under the signature of "One who was present," and who also is evidently parentally inspired, takes exception to our report of the late entertainment in connection with the distribution of prizes to the children of the State School on the ground that one young lady's efforts were not specially mentioned by us on the occasion in question. As the object of the entertainment was to allow the public to judge from the recitations and glees delivered, the degree of proficiency to which some of the children attending the State School had attained, and as the young lady in question didnot come under this category, we considered that the reception accorded her by the audience, together with the undisguised pleasure it afforded her to appear, was ample recognition of her merits, without augmentation on our part.

A meeting has been convened by His Worship the Mayor, in accordance with a requisition from a number of ratepayers, at the Town Hall to-morrow evening to take the necessary steps to assist in relieving the great distress that now prevails in Ireland. As the residents of this district are never backward ! in responding when called onto alleviate the sufferings of their fellow.creatures, we have little doubt that subscriptions from all classes will liberally flow in towards the fund intended to be organised to-morrow evening for the relief of those suffering from famine and distress.

We are glad to learn (says the West Coast Times from private sources that our late esteemed Warden, Mr Price, has returned to New Zealand, having undergone the second operation, which we are glad to say has been so far successful as to admit of his probable resumption of duty at an early date, although the gieatest care will require to be exercised by him for a time. He is at present atlnvercargill staying with his family. The foot-race between Cochrane and Lines for £25 aside at Reefton, was won by the former on Monday, Lines breaking down as he was in ill health.

We (New Zealand Times) look forward with the utmost confidence to a speedy announcement of Sir G. Grey's final retirement from political life. When the ardent reformer is comfortably buried in his political cemetery at Kawau, King, Lords, and Commons will rejoice, and we shall breathe a fervent and devout prayer for peace to the ashes of his political reputation. One and all will join in the hope that the retired statesman may enjoy his well-earned rest as Lord of the Isle. The time may yet come when an energetic journalist sliall depict Sir G. Grey acting the part of the fine old English gentleman, and murmuring over his wine,—Confound their politics—Frustrate their knavish tricks—God save the Queen.

As Mr Duncan M'Lean, of Greymouth, is relinquishing the wholesale business, heads of families and others can enjoy the same facility at the Kuraara branch of laying in large supplies of groceries, «fec, for cash, as he is determined to give the consumer the benefit of the large purchases made prior to the increase in the tariff.—[Advt.]

Messrs Hansen and -Webber, of DilLman's Town, are the successful tenderers tot the construction! of the track from No6han's to the Teremakau Beach.

Lord Truro whose residence is at Falconhurst, on the summit of Shooter's Hill, has just afforded a novel example of funeral simplicity. Last month Lady Truro, his wife, died, and his lordship, having placed the body in a plain wooden box, lightly constructed so as not to' arrest the process of natural decay, buried it himself in a grave dug on the lawn which fronts the house, at a spot selected for the purpose by the deceased lady; during her lifetime. The grave is about four feet deep, and a marble ornament will mark its position. It is stated that neither the local authorities nor any other officials have any power to prevent or object to primitive interments of this description, the only legal conditions being that the ground shall be freehold, the situation removed some distance from a dwelling-house, and the depth of the grave and other circumstances arranged with due regard to public health.