The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1087, 25 March 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1880.

To-morrow being Good Friday there will be no publication of the Kumara Times.

The conference on the Charitable Aid arid Hospital Bill concluded at a late hour last evening. An extended report of the business transacted is held over.

The alarming notes of the fire bell were heard shortly after seven o'clock last evening, and soon a large crowd of persons congregated in the streets, but fortunately the alarm was only caused by a chimney being on fire in Main street, and it was quickly extinguished.

The Christchurch mail and four passengers arrived in Kumara at five o'clock tliis morning, the delay having been occasioned by the heavy weather experienced on the other side of the range and the floods in the rivers there. We learn that it rained three' days without cessation.

A rifle match between Greymouth, Hokitika, and Kumara will take place at the rifle range to-morrow. The local Contingent will parade early to-morrow morning to receive their brothers-in-arms on arrival.- The following have been selected as the Kumara team :—Lieut. Munyard, Corporal Smith, Privates Marshall, Cdutts, Simmons, Barnett, Fell, Siggins, arid Caldwell.'

Teridets' drei invi+e'd by the Slecre'tary o'f the Local School Committee for draining, levelling,- rind sdwing part of the school ground.- Tenders are also invited by the Central Board for an addition to the main building, plans and specifications of which can be' seen at Mr Seddon's.

A telegram from Tnriaru dated March 19, states that " Sixteen men have been arrested on a charge of riot aad assault in connection with the fight for the possession of a mob of sheep, which occurred at Pighunting Creek yesterday. Warrants are out for several others. Eleven are now being criminally prosecuted. The sheep in dispute belonged to Messrs Meek and Scott, of Oamaru, and they were sold to one Mr M'Leish by Mr Scott, and subsequently seized by the direction of Mr Meek, who believed the sale to be fraudulent. The fight for possession took place between Mr M'Leish and his men and Mr Meek's representative, who has also received authority to retain the sheep pending the decision of the Supreme Court re the partnership property. The prosecuting counsel asks that the eleven men, including Mr M'Leish, should be committed for trial. The case occupied tha Court all day."

A Geneva telegram of January 28th says : For the fourth time this century, and the 24th time since 1233, the Lake of Zurich is entirely frozen over. On Sunday it was a scene of great animation ; thousands of skaters hastened from all parts of the country to take advantage of so rare an opportunity. Half the population of the city were on the banks of the lake and on the ice, which was gay With the brilliantly-decorated tents of \vinesellers and improvised restaurants. I*he Lakes of Morat, Neuchatel, and Bienne are also again frozen, and the Arve, from above Carouge to its junction with the Rhone, below Geneva, is covered with thick ice.

The Queen has appointed Inspector Fraser, late of Hyde Park and the Ladies' Mile, to form one of Her Majesty's suite, and to reside within the walls of Windsor Castle. This is a newly-created office, and may be understood to owe its origin to the fears excited among the crowned heads of Europe by the alarming development of a regicidal Social democracy. The spectre of Socialism is under all the Royal beds. The necessity for observing more than customary watchfulness seems to have occurred to some one in authority, and so Inspector Fraser has been appointed by Mr Cross to stand between the Royal person and possible danger. He will go with the Queen wherever she travels, and stay wherever she stays.

The following catalogue of Charles Lickcns' works are worthy of perusal : "Oliver Twist," who had some very "Hard Times," in the "Battle of Life," and having been saved from the " Wreck of the Golden Mary" by "Our mutual Friend," "Nicholas Nickleby," had just finished reading " A Tale of Two Cities" to "Martin Chuzzlewit," during which time "The Cricket on the Hearth," had been chirping right merrily, while " The Chimes " from the adjacent church were heard, when, " Seven Poor Travellers" commenced singing a "Christmas Carol." " Barnaby Rudge "' then arrived from "The old Curiosity Shop" with some " Pictures from Italy" and "Sketches by Boz" to show "Little Dorrit," who was busy with the "Pickwick Papers," when "David Copperfield" who.had been taking " American Notes," entered and informed the company that the "Great Expectations" of "Dombey and Son," regarding "Miss Lilliper's Legacy " had not been realised, and that he had seen "Boots at the Holly Tree Inn" taking "Somebody's Luggage" to "Mrs Lipper's Lodgings " in a street that had "No Thoroughfare," opposite "Bleak House," where "The Haunted Mam," who had just given one of "Dr Marigold's Prescriptions" to an "Uncommercial Traveller," was brooding over "The Mystery of Edwin Drood."