The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1055, 17 February 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1880.

A special meeting of the Hospital Committee will be held this evening, at which some business of great importance will be transacted.

The usual weekly parade of the local Rifles will be held this evening, at which steps will be taken to form a local Rifle Association in connection with those of Hokitika and Grey mouth, the membei'ship of which will not bo restricted to Volunteers only. A meeting of the Irish Distress Relief Fund Committee was held at the Town Hall last evening, Mr Dungan in the chair. The Secretary was instructed to insert a notice in the Kdmara Times to the effect that the subscription lists would close on Saturday next, and the meetingthen adjourned until 8 p.m. of that day. The proceedings of the Resident Magistrate s Court this day are held over until to-morrow. Three persons left Kumara this morning for the grand Carnival to be held in Hokitika to-day in aid of the Irish Distress Fund, MrSeddon, M.H.R., however, not being one of the three. This is to be deplored, as the parade of the members of Parliament in the procession would have been of the most meagre description had all attended, and we are greatly afraid that the honorable gentleman who represents the Upper house will on this occasion have to trust to a tall Re(i)ed for support. An instance of to what extremes sonle persons carry their views or hobbies on particular subjects WaS painfully illustrated in the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, when the cbriiplainant in a case, an enthusiastic good templar; endeavored to vividly depict the evils of intemperance by pointedly alluding to the mother who gave him birth as one who had obtained a dozen yards of calico at a draper’s, out of which she had made one unmentionable garment and pawned the remainder to gratify her taste for liquor. Although the statement was received with laughter, which was instantly checked in in court, this filial and promising offspring of an unfortunate parent would do well to remember the fifth commandment when airing his boastful temperance proclivities to the outer world. The gold medal of the First Westland Rifle Company, the competition for which has taken place in Hokitika, was finally won for the third time by Lieut. Spence* on Saturday last, with a score of 67 points, at 200, 500, and GOO yards, He having won it on two previous occasions with 62 and 64 points respectively. As Lieut-. Spence is the musketry instructor for the district, this plainly demonstrates that he is well able to carry into practice, with effect, the theory of rifle shooting that ho teaches others.

“Gum boots at ‘Os!’—and it’s myself that will have the same !” was the ejaculation of a well-known White vendor of milk as he yesterday pulled up his vehicle in front of a drapery establishment in this town in which the greatest bargains of the age are daily exhibited to view, and in front of which Ins eye had caught the figure of a large “9” and a proportionately small “s” on a ticket attached to a pair of new gum boots. Possessing himself of the article in question, he tendered the amount at which they were labelled to the general lad of the firm, who, in accordance with the custom of the establishment, shouted “Cash!” and handed it over to another party engaged in the business. At this moment, however, a sudden and dire suspicion seized the mind of one of the firm that everything wqsnof- “ according to cocker,” and he frantically asserted that the boots were marked 18s 6d, which our White friend as persistently denied ; and, to finally settle the dispute, he departed with a happy smile on his face and his bargain under his arm. “The pol-ece!” shouted the man of yard-stick and tape, “run for the polece !” And the police were duly run for, inquiries made, and they returned pri- ; soner-loss. Moral—Never? what, never? no, hardly ever exhibit gum boots :£it 9s per pair to the public gaze, or their change of ownership is assured.

Tenders are invited by Mr Jeremiah Creed, of Dillman’s Town, for digging five acres of land which tenders will close on Friday next. At a Mormons’ meeting at Auckland recently one of the * ‘ elders ” requested a reporter who was present to lead the singing. The reporter did not feel equal to the task, as not coming within the ordinary scope of his duties, and the “ elder” then sang a hymn by himself. A correspondent writing to one of the Northern papers, referring to the price of kauri gum, says it is actually throwing it away to sell it for £OS per ton. The kauri gum has met with such favour with American manufacturers of varnish, and is beirg used by them so extensively, that it would readily sell for anything up to £l5O per ton. Copal is its only opponent in the market, and is somewhere about £250 per ton ; but kauri guni is found to make a varnish that is superior for many purposes, and one that meets with a readier sale;