The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1033, 23 January 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1880.

A meeting of the Borongh Council was held last evening, the report of which h held over. We would direct the special attention of the ratepayers of this (the Aralmra) riding to the fact that the valuation list as prepared by the valuators of the County of Westland i 3 now open for inspection at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Goldsborough. Any persons having any objection against-*he assessment,

I or any reasons to advance why they should! ! not be rated; should do so at once, as all Objections are requested, to be lodged at the Assessment Court before the 15th proximo, and A Copy of such objection forwarded to the County Council Chambers, Hokitika, seven clear days prior to the sitting of the Assessment Court. We have been shown some fossils (or what may be more appropriately termed petritied oyster shells) which have been taken out of the reef in driving the long tunnel tail-race of Anderson and party at Dillmarfs Town. The fossils which ax-e beautifully perfect, were found at a depth of 700 feet, evidently showing that if we had been here in the good old times, generations unknown, "bivalves" was one of the delicacies to be obtained in close proximity to this town. ' ' The prisoner Graham Flowers, who was yesterday sentenced to two months' hard labor at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Greymouth, passed through here to-day en route for Hokitika gaol, in charge of Constable Cashion, the poli-e officer from whom he had previously made his escape. An information was yesterday laid against Joseph Hunn, who lately figured in the Magistrate's Court as defendant in a judgment summons case instituted against him by the municipal authorities for the payment of rates, for perjury. The prisoner was arrested by Sergt. Emmerson last evening at Greymouth) and was brought up there to-day, as will be seen by our telegram. We observe by our exchanges that Mr Walter Bishop formerly of this town, has been elected Arch Druid of the Excelsior Lodge Wellington. There "were over 80 members present at the election, and the • chair to which he was elected was most keenly contested for by many others. At a meeting of Good Templars lately held in Auckland a Mr Donovan, of Taranaki, is reported as having .said "that the schools provided by the Government were not so numerous, nor the education imparted so effective 'as that given in the schools eetablished by the brewers at every street corner. It was time men rose to a higher conception of his mission here than to be a slush-tub for a brewer. Drink had been the curse of the human race ever since A&tm was a'gossoon running about Paradise. (Laughter.) Many a hundred p<mnds the publicans had from him, but they were never the men to say, ' Donovan, there's a pound for you.' He found the publican the best savings bank; for all of his money they had got they saved and kept." When Mr Longfellow, says the London Literary World, visited Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle, the servants crowded on the stairways and in the lobbies to get a view of him. On the Queen asking them next clay why this compliment was paid to the poet, she was told that they used to listen to Prince Albert reading "Evangeline " to his children, and, knowing the lines nearly by heart, they longed to see the mail- who wrote them. The Queen is fond of telling this story. The German army is to be increased—the artillery by 348 guns when on peace footing, and 522 guns in war : the infantry by eight regiments, and the cavalry, engineer, and marine divisions in proportionate degree. The annual conscription is to be raised to 175,000 —an increase of 30,000 —in order to supply this extension of the militaiy system. A Press despatch from San Francisco states that a Bix days' walking match between horses and men at the Pavillion in that city closed on Oct. 21 with the following scores : —Horses—Pinafore, 559 miles ; Nellie, 536 ; and Dan M'Carthy, 517. Men—Guerrero, 375 miles • and Brodie, 362 miles. The London Stereoscopic Company, of which Mr. Alderman Nottage and Mr. Kennard are the proprietors, have taken the preliminary steps in an action in the Supreme Court for slander against Sir Charles Whethem, the Lord' Mayor, for expressions used in- his magisterial capacity on the recent hearing at the' Mansion House, of a summons against a shopkeeper in the City on a charge of selling and exhibiting indecent Zulu photographs. The Lord Mayor, through his solicitors, has accepted .service of the process with a view, according to his solicitors' explanation, of having "anopportunityof enlightening the public on the true facts of the case and justifying the course he has taken," ' We learn from Parsonstown, in Ireland, that within a fortnight the -Govern iuent purpose commencing the Shannon drainage, .and 5.0.0 men. will be* daily employed, The main- operation will be carried out in Kings County, and the probable amount expended on the works,-will be about £20,000 v Other important work's are expected to follow. *'••'!