The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1362, 11 February 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1881.

At the meeting of the Westland County Council yesterday a good deal of discussion was indulged in over the expenses incurred by the County Chairman while travelling about the district superintending the various County works. While in no way agreeing with the Chairman being allowed to rush into a lavish personal expenditure at the cost of the County funds, we can but agree with our contemporary the West Coast Times “that if'the Council insists on the Chairman personally supervising works, they must expect to pay him.” A meeting of the shareholders of the Public Hall Company will be held at the Hall on Monday evening next. Tenders have been invited for the purchase of the Hall, which is a most suitable property for a lodge room or for public meetings. The drawing of Tonks’s Albion Sweep on the Dunedin Cup will take place in Greymouth on Friday next. There are a few tickets remaining in town, for which early application is necessary. REUTER’S TELEGRAMS. BRITISH AND FOREIGN. Madrid, February 8. A Ministerial crisis has occurred here, and a new Cabinet is being formed Senor Sagasta Marshall Campos will take the portfolio of Minister of War. London, February 8. In view of possible hostilities with the Aahantees, Her Majesty's corvette Champion, 18 guns, has been ordered to the Gold Coast, where she will organise a naval brigade for service in Ashantee. According to official documents which have been published, General Sir F. Roberts discovered, while in occupation at Cabul, a secret treaty for an offensive and defensive alliance signed between Russia and the Ameer, dated August, 1878; also a letter from the Russian General Stolieff (sic), dated- October of the same year, advising Shere Ali to declars peace with England, but at the same time to secretly prepare for war.

Other papers which were found moreover show that the Russian policy included measures to incite an armed rebellion of Mahommedans in India.

Capetown, February 8. News has been received from Natal that the Boers have stopped the mail between Sir George Colley’s headquarters at Langsac and Newcastle. All reinforcements from England and India have now arrived at Durban, Natal, and the troops will proceed without delay to the front.

Further news to hand from Natal states that since the stoppage of the mail between Langsac and Newcastle, General Sir George Colley, has dispatched a force to clear the road of Boers.

February 9. Later intelligence from Governor Sir George Colley, in the Transvaal, announces that his force has successfully attacked and defeated a large body of Boers, whom it encountered between Newcastle and Ingomo. The British loss in the fight is 150 killed and wounded. The enemy suffered a very heavy loss, but the extent is not stated Sir George Colley expects to l>e able to maintain his position in the Transvaal until the arrival of reinforcements from Durban.