The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1044, 4 February 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1880.

The trial of J. B. Hun for alleged perjury at the R. M. Court on the 20th ult. took place in the same Court yesterday, and terminated in the acquittal of the accused. A portion of the evidence in this case appears in ailotlier column. The attendance at the Theatre' Royal last evening was far from complimentary to the talents of those clever artfstes the Hewetts, who were really deserving of a far more liberal patronage at the hands of the public. From an announcement that appears elsewhere it will be seen they return here for one night, the 14th inst., when we trust to see their merits thoroughly appreciated by a bumper house. The missing mail bag, to which reference was made in our last issue, was brought into town by Mr Rugg last evening after a considerable amount of trouble and danger had been incurred in recovering same. The bag had been thrown up by the last heavy fresh on a small island on the opposite side of the Teremakau river, at the back of Horsey's farm, and the party, consisting of Messrs Rugg, Dyer, and Constable M'Kennon had the greatest difficulty in fording the many streams into which the river branches at this point, the quicksands and current making it very unsafe for the horses. The mail bag when received from Mr Ryder (who had previously left for the island) was found to be so heavy that it was im» possible to pack it oh a horse on the return journey and the contents were taken out and placed in two sacks, in which ner it was packed to the Christchureh road, where Rugg's coach was in waiting for its conveyance to the Post Office here. We may mention that the contents of the bag were newspapers and periodicals, and that the action of the water had thoroughly obliterated every addiess contained therein. A meeting of the Hospital Committee was held at the Secretary's office last evening, when the resignations of Messrs M'Kenzie and Everett as members of the Committee were received and accepted, with regret, a unanimous vote of thanks being accorded to them for their past services. Accounts to the amount of £4l were passed for payment and the Committee adjourned. After the usual weekly parade of the local Rifles last evening, a meeting of the Committee <vf management was held, at which it was resolved that the firing for representatives to attend the New Zealand Rifle Association's meeting at Nelson next month, should take place on Saturday

week. The conditions are—7 shots at 200, 500, and GOO yards Wimbledon targets and scoring. The Kumara Education Reserve Committee will meet at the Town Hall this evening. We would direct special attention to the sale of Mr D. Murphy's property at Westbrooke, which will take place tomorrow, when Messrs Nancarrow and Co., of Greymouth, will submit the whole of that valuable dairy farm to public auction. Referring to & statement that appeared in our columns on Monday last relative to the approach to the bridge over the Greenstone Creek on the Greymouth road not having been repaired, we are informed by Mr John Hayes that every exertion has been used to repair the damage, and that men have been working at it since the day it occurred. A barrier has also been placed across the other side of the bridge to prevent accidents. The attention of the Grey County Council is directed to this fact in connection with our previous statement; The repairs are expected to be completed to-day. Considerable interest was manifested last evening by a number of persons in the appearance on the southern horizon of some nebulous matter which, judging from its extraordinary length, was pronounced to be the tail of a comet. No one, however, seems to have actually seen the nucleus of this stranger, if a comet it be, and some therefore supposed it to be the Aurora Australis. Should to-night prove favorable, some of our local astronomers will doubtless set the matter at rest.