The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1030, 20 January 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1880.

The concert in aid of the Church of England building fund will take place at the Theatre Royal this evening. The Primate of New Zealand and the Yen. Archdeacon Harper will deliver addresses on the occasion.

A sitting of the Resident Magistrate’s Court was held this morning J. Mackay, Esq., R.M., andß. J. Seddon, Esq. J. P., occupying the bench. The report of the proceedings is held over until our next issue.

The usual parade of the local Rifles will not be held this evening, as we understand the Contingent will attend at the concert to be given at the Theatre Royal, for which purpose they will muster at Dillmans Town at 7 o’clock, and march to Kumara headed by the Dillman’s Town Brass Band.

A meeting of the Local School Committee was held in the Town Clerk’s office last evening ; present—Messrs Seddon (in the chair), Campbell, Munyard, Molloy, Drummond, Bain, and Wylde (secretary). The minutes of the hist meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence read and approved of. The balance-sheet of the accounts of the Committee as prepared by the Treasurer was examined and adopted. Applications were received for the temporary appointment of teacher to the Westbrook school from the following persons : Agnes Pascoe, C. J. Patrick, R. M. Gill, and G. C. Coles. After some discussion the Committee appointed Mr Coles to take charge of the Westbrook school pending a permanent appointment being made. Notice of the election of the new Committee was ordered to be inserted in the Kumara Times. A hearty vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to Mr Wylde, secretary, for the efficient manner in which he had carried out his duties during his term of office. The Committee adjourned until 8 p.m. on Monday next.

In this column, the Curate of Holy Trinity Church invites all who may be interested in the Church to meet the Primate at the State School, to-morrow, at 8 p.m., when his lordship will explain the nature of the newly-formed Diocesan Church Work Society. We believe that a special invitation has been given to those, either now or in past time, engaged in church work for 6.30 p.m.

A presentation of a very handsome watch and an engrossed address was made at Hannan’s Hotel, last evening, to Mr

Bernard O’Rourke, by a number of friends, as a mark of the respect and good-will he had gained from all classes during the thirteen years he has been a resident of this district.

A meeting of the Irish Relief Fund Committee was held at the Town Hall last evening, his Worship the Mayor presiding ; there were present—Messrs Killeen, Cuming, J. Moran, Dungan, Dr. Acheson, Messrs M'Gee, O’Hagan, Clery, Guiney, Carew, Power, M'Glone, Flynn, M'Grath, Maloney, P. Moran, Stewart, Fitzsimons, Barff, and Duggan. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and approved of, the outgoing correspondence was also read and approved of. The secretary was instructed to forward subscription lists to Messrs M‘lnerney and Goniff, Christchurch road ; and to Mr Noonan, Teremakau. It was agreed that all subscriptions received during this week should be handed over to the treasurers not later than Monday, at noon, to suit the outgoing mail to Europe, and that these and other subscriptions that may be raised in this district on behalf of the Irish sufferers be remitted to the Lord Mayor of Dublin, for distribution to the places most in need. The meeting was then adjourned till Monday, 26th inst., at 10 a.m.

Mr Gilbert Stewart, with his usual punctuality, notifies that all holders of horses on his Champion consultation can obtain the amount of their stakes by applying to him to-morrow evening. The European Mail states that it is by no means unlikely that an English Eleven may proceed to Australia at the close of the next Horae session.

Mr Proctor’s interesting exhibition of the camera obscura, in Cathedral square, Christchurch, continues to attract a number of visitors. Some doubts have been expressed (the Press says) as to the fact of the lens having been made in Christchurch, but there is ample evidence that this is so, many citizens having had an opportunity of inspecting the processs of polishing, Ac., at Mr Proctor’s workshops in Armagh street East.

A liberal gentleman in England, who objects to the disclosure of his name, has given a cheque of £IOOO to the Rev. James Buller, to be invested for church purposes. It is likely, we are informed that it will be invested for the benefit of the Wesleyan Home Mission Fund in New Zealand.

- 'fhe ships St. Leonards and Raikaia haj T e just left Wellington for London with cargoes valued at £150,000. The Merope has left Lyttelton with a cargo valued at £82,000 ; the Mataura has left Port Chalmers with a £77,624 ; the Helen Denny from Napier with a cargo valued at £54,734 ; the Waimea has left the same port with a like valuable cargo ; and the Invercargill has left Port Chalmers with a large cargo.

A contributor to the Auckland News is of opinion that at the rate things are progressing we shall soon not be able to tell a woman from a man. The sex, he says, will have to go about labelled “ this is a woman.” We shall have to drop the designation “woman,” and substitute “female man.” We have female Blondins and female lecturers on nasty subjects, and Loftus females (of whom the law ought to take recognisance), and female pedestrians who stride along like horse-godmothers for the delectation of a refined crowd of the other sex. Novelists and poets will have to drop their pleasantest and best theme—woman ; or represent her as she is, and not as she was. Why, the feats of women now form the subject of telegraphic messages. It was flashed by wire the other day from Sydney that the winning female pedestrian had done 74 miles in 24 hours. Charming, delicate, and modest creature ! What a joy for a father, what a glory for a husband ! The gentle creatures will perhaps presently turn book-makers and jockeys, and end in the ring. A woman has been imprisoned in Wellington for appearing in male attire. Why 1 It seems of the fitness of things. What a pity it is that their sex can’t deal with these unsexed people ; there’d soon be a change. The Geelong Times exclaims:—How are the ipj|lity fallen ! A greyhound with a pedigree dating back to Master M‘Grath, was sold by order of the assignee, in an insolvent estate last week. The auctioneer dilated for a considerable time on the merits of the animal, concluding his peroration with—“ Will anybody start the bidding at £2O ?” There was no response for some time, when at length a bold speculator butcher’s boy shouted out, “I’ll give you a ‘bob’ for him master !” and no advance being made over this liberal offer of “bob,” the animal was knocked down. A rival butcher’s boy, who was envious of

the purchaser, here remarked’ “ I suppose your master will lower the price of sausages now ; why, he’ll weigh 201 b.” The Standard’s Berlin correspondent states that the Russian officers who are responsible for the recent defeat by the Turcomans at Geok Tepe have reported to the authorities at St. Petersburg that their repulse is due to an English officer, Captain Butler, who went from India in disguise a year or two ago, furnished the Turcomans with breechloaders, and taught them how to construct earth-works, and how to emulate infantry in the field. A remarkable portrait of the Earl of Beaconsfield from sittings recently granted to the artist has just been completed by Mr Weigall. The moment chosen is that of the speech in the House of Lords on the subject of the Treaty of Berlin. The Premier stands upright with folded arms, in front of the red-covered benches, and has just come to his peroration. The picture has been painted for the Marquis of Exeter, and is to be added to the collection of Burleigh but is likely to be first engraved. Mr Weigall is now at work upon a companion picture of Lord Salisbury, which is also intended for Burleigh.