The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1343, 20 January 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1881.

The County Chairman, the Engineer in charge of the diamond drill, and the Inspector of Works found on visiting the Taupo, after considerable personal inconvenience, a site for a diamond drill to commence boring for the quartz reef known to exist there.. At a meeting of the Arahura Road Board held at Stafford Town, yesterday, Mr Edwin Blake was elected Chairman for the ensuing year. It was resolved to again interview the County Council relative to the merging of the Board, and a dividend of 4s in the £ was passed as the first instalments towards the payment of the Board’s creditors.

At a meeting of the Waste Lands Board at Hokitika, yesterday, the plan of a track from Greenstone township to block E, Teremakau, was approved of. From the fortieth report and balancesheet of the New Zealand Insurance Company, to hand, we observe that, after making provision for all ascertained losses to date and carrying £IO,OOO to the Reserve fund (which with the re-insurance now stands at £150,000), there remained a sum of £21,797 2s 3d, which enabled the directors to declare a dividend at the rate of 15 per cent, per annum, and also carry the balanc^^gfij^^^^Uma^^ Company announce they will open a branch establishment here in a few days. For rapidity of execution, and cheapness of price, the process stands unrivalled. Specimens of the portraits by this company are now on view next door to Mr. Rugg’s Kumara Hotel, Main Street. The following cable messages from a special London correspondent respecting Trickett, Laycock, and Hanlan, are published by the Melbourne Age :—London, December 29th.—Trickett is dissatisfied with the result of his recent race with Hanlan for the Championship, on the ground that he was overtrained and thoroughly out of form. He has expressed his desire to arrange another match with Hanlan, but it is doubtful whether the event can be brought off.” “ London, January 4th.—The match between Hanlan and Laycock for the rowing championship, to be rowed on the Thames on the 17th instant, is causing much interest. Laycock has been in constant practice, and has wonderfully improved, good judges amongst the London oarsmen • being amazed at the advance he has made in style and finish. Hanlan, who has been doing steady work, is still the favorite.” As a colored boot-black was passing a down-town bar-room and fhiit store, a day or two ago, he picked up the stump of a cigar from the gutter and went into the store and asked for a match. He was met with the reply, “We don’t keep matches to give away.” The.boy started out, but stopped at the door, turned back, and asked the proprietor, “Do you sell ’em?” He purchased a box, paid - his two cents, and lit his stump, after which he closed the box and asked the proprietor to put it on the shelf, and “ nex time a gemman asks for a match just give ’em one out’n my box.” There were several merchants in the store at the time, who have since given the proprietor little rest. By the mistake of an invoice clerk, a truck load of logs were delivered at the wrong station at Aix la Chapelle, recently, and as they were being unloaded one of the laborers discovered a longitudinal slit in one of them, and on inserting his knife a strong odour of tobacco issued. The customs officials overhauled the entire lot, when it was found that thirty-two out of thirty-eight logs had been hollowed out and stuffed with 3800 pounds of Belgian tobacco. It was a cute trick of French smugglers, and but .for the blunder of the clerk would probably have escaped detection.