The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1105, 15 April 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1880.

The woman Ellen Kitto, who was yesterday charged at the Resident Magistrate’s Court with the manslaughtsr of one Joseph O’Neil, was, at the conclusion of the evidence taken in her case, committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court in Hokitika.

We understand that the School Commissioners of Westland will recommend the Government to bring the “ Kmnara Education Reserve Act, 1879,” into force almost immediately.

Intimation has been received by the local Volunteers, from the officer commanding the district, that the Government intend that all Volunteer Corps in the colony shall be clothed in the same uniform as that in use in the Imperial army ; and, with this end in view, they now require a return from the respective companies of the number of men who require the new uniform. This will be an excellent opportunity for those who iiatend joining the ranks of the local corps to send in their names to the officer in command, as we presume the new uniform will be supplied gratis, and the cap!-’ tation allowance abolished.

At a meeting of the Westland County Council, yesterday, a letter was received from the Secretary of the Ivumara Hospital asking the Council to reconsider the amount voted to that institution, which letter was ordered to stand over for discussion. Subsequently Mr Seddon moved and Mr Sandle seconded “That the question of subsidies for hospital and charitable aid purposes be reconsidered, with a view of paying subsidy on amounts voluntarily subscribed, in lieu of paying same bv lump sum arbitrarily fixed by Council.” The motion was lost, as only Mr Grimmond, of Ross, voted with the mover and seconder. Messrs Lang, Jack, Dale, Hirter, and M'Goldrick voting in the

negative. So much for the sympathies of those on the other side of the Arahura rivet with the charitable institutions of this district.

Under the “Homestead system ” of the “Land Act, 1877,” the Westland Waste Lands Board have sot apart a block of land for Occupation without payment, between the Kokatalu and Hokitika. The full particulars under which this land can be selected appear in our advertising columns, and those desirous of availing themselves of this system of occupying land will have to select what ground they require on the 19 th of next month.

In the report of the annual parish meeting held at Kaiapoi, which appears in the Christchurch papers, we observe that the Lev. I). O. Hampden, who formerly was in charge of the Ross district on this coast, has conducted at the lowest computation 560 services during the last year. In addition to this, he has conducted the morning Sunday school, and has officiated as choirmaster, which has entailed at least two hours’ practice with his choir one evening every week, and for all these services he has only received the pittance of £57 10s, there being three quarters’ arrears of stipend due to him. Truly Mr Hampden’s lot as a hard working minister lias fallen amongst a most liberal congregation.

A rather amusing incident occurred lately in Masterton. It appears that an unfortunate debtor there had “the man in possession ” as an unwelcome guest at his house for a night or two, and, getting tired of him, suggested, during a quiet game of cards, that a beer would do them no harm, and induced the bailiff to go and fetch the liquor. Meanwhile the debtor fastened doors and windows and prepared for a seige, but was heartily disgusted to find the limb of the law in a very short time make entrance again by descending the chimney. Previously to doing this, Mr Bailiff, with careful regard for his habiliments and the majesty of the law, had impressed a small boy to get down the chimney and open the door, but the adventurous youth went down the wrong one, much to the astonishment of the occupants of an adjoining tenement.

On Friday last the passers-by in Colombo street, Christchurch (says the Press) were treated to a somewhat novel sensation in the shape of a lady horsewhipping a gentleman in the most approved style. It appears that the lady, who is connected with the hair-dressing interest, had be. come aware that the gentleman, who is also in the same line, had been maligning her character, and took this means of chastising her traducer. The horsewhip" ping was a very severs one, and the fair wielder of the flagellator received three cheers from the bystanders.

The following is related in the Wagga Express : —Some years ago an aboriginal was employed by a squatter of that neighborhood to poison dogs, and was trusted with strychnine for that purpose. For many years the blackfellow confined his destructive capabilities to the dogs, but one day he poisoned Wundoroh, another aboriginal, then in the employ of Mr T. B. Scurrah, whom those days lived at Narrabri. The murderer was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death, but the dread sentence was afterwards commuted to 15 years’ imprisonment. Ten years having elapsed, a Walgett philanthropist thought a memorial might reasonably be sent to the Government to pray for a re. mission of the remainder of the prisoners sentence. An agitation was got up, and a petition extensively signed and forwarded to head quarters. After the customary delay of a few months, to which petitions are generally subjected, the philantrophist received a reply. It was short and to the point, even if not altogether satisfactory. It was dated March 7, 1880, and ran as follows ;—“ln reply to your request, I have to state that the blackfellow referred to died in gaol in 1873.”

In a certain New South Wales township the police magistrate displays an exaggerated sense of his personal importance. He regards himself as the head man of the district, and takes care to let his self-ap-preciative view’s be generally knowm. He was lately on a visit to Melbourne, and with a friend visited a fashionable tailor’s. Just after he had been measured, and before he had resumed his coat, an itinerant game vendor came into the shop and asked him to buy. Whh an air of lofty disdain he rebuked the vendor for his impertinence in addressing him. “Beg your pardon, sir,” said the game merchant. “I meant no offence. I thought yon were the tailor.” He has not yet recovered the shock-.,

Just by way of change, how would it answer for liquor dealers to be allowed to sell Without a license, but subjected to a heavy penalty in case they sell to an individual who has not obtained a license to buy liquor ? Why is it that ultra temperance men do not seek to place the buyer as well as the seller of liquor mider conditions ? If it is wrong to sell it, it°is wrong to buy, and the man who drinks at' an hotel should, in justice, be subject to a penalty equal to that hanging over the head of him who offers liquor for sale.