The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1405, 2 April 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 1881.

Mr G. A Munyard, after a Connection of over three years with this journal, lays down his pen this evening, going to fresh fields and pastures new. We wish him success in his new sphere. There was no appearance of either of the coaches due from Christchurch at the time we went to press, but a telegram from the Bealey informs us that both coaches are detained there through the inclemency of the weather. Captain Edwin telegraphed yesterday:— “Expect heavy gale between north-east and north and west within eight hours, and heavy sea.” A farewell sermon will be preached by the Rev. G. Hall, to-morrow evening, at the Wesleyan Church, prior to his departure for Nelson. We understand that the Rev. Mr Fennell, of Christchurch, will be his successor. To-morrow night the census of the colony will be taken, when everyone is by law compelled to fill in the papers left at their respective residences by the subenumerators appointed for that purpose. The fair sex need have little hesitation of frankly stating their ages as the forms are simply seen by the department issuing them. We understand that the contract for the approach and forming the new deviation to the Teremakan bridge has been accepted by the Government. A Hokitika firm, we learn, are the successful tenderers. The burgess list as also the defaulters list of the Borough are now open for inspection at the Town Clerk’s office during the usual hours. The balance sheet of the Phelan Relief Fund Committee appears in another column by which it will be seen that the handsome sum of £692 14s 6d was collected by the canvassers appointed in the various districts to obtain subscriptions on behalf of the fund. Those wishing to obtain an interest in Gilbert Stewart’s Sydney Gold Oup consultation will have an excellent opportunity from this evening to the date of drawing as sweeps are announced to take place nightly on this event. A meeting of justices was held at the Court House, Hokitika, yesterday, to revise the jury list for' the ensuing year. There were present Messrs Bonar and Reid, J.P.’s. Lists from Hokitika, Kumara, Stafford, Waimea, Ross, and Kanieri, were handed in and sworn to by the sergeants and constables of police in charge of the respective districts. About five or six names were struck off the Kanieri list of parties who had recently left the district, and one or two names were added to the other lists, which had been omitted. The total number of jury, men in each district will stand as follows Hokitika, 303 ; Honiara, 300; Ross, 204 ; Kanieri, 196 ; Waimea, 105 ; and Stafford, 67 ; making a total of 1175. This as far as jurymen are concerned it does not appear as if this township was backward in this respect. The body of a man was discovered lyin" in the Otainete stream, about a hundred yards from the railway bridge, on Wednesday, 23rd ult. A pass-book and a receipted bill from W. C. Moore, butcher of Invercargill, were (the Ensign says) found in the deceased’s pockets, and from these it appears that the man’s name was Thomas Gray. He was formerly a resident of Invercargill, where lie carried on .business as a carter, and about six or seven weeks ago he sold his horse and dray and came to this district. He obtained employment as a binder on the Company’s estate near Wantwood, but only worked a day and a-half. When he left the harvest field he stated that his reason for so doing was that something had gone wrong with his wife in Invercargill, and his child was running about

the streets of that town looking for him. From that time until his body was found nothing had been seen or heard of him. An inquest was held at Mandeville on Thursday, when the verdict returned was “Found drowned.” From the evidence it appeared that that the deceased had been drinking heavily prior to going to Mandeville. The death of ah aged couple is thus alluded to by the Taranaki News “There died recently in the Turakina Valley, within eleven weeks of each other, an aged couple who had been united in wedlock for the long period of 77 years. The man came to this colony at the age of 60, and after forty-two years of active colonial life succumbed to death at the age of 102. Eleven weeks after, his aged partner died in harness at her household washing at the age of 96. The old lady had rinsed her clothes, had carried them to a fence, and hung them out to dry, and then quietly sank down by the side of the fence and yielded up her life.” We clip the following from the Tuapeka Times ; —“ Satisfactory progress is being made at the Waitahuna copper mine. The manager reports that they are nearly down from the mouth of the main shaft, following the lode, about 40ft. The lode is keeping up its size, and the walls are getting softer, enabling them to sink more rapidly than before. Ten tons of ore have been taken out since the two shipments were sent to the Newcastle smelting works. The Company has recently procured a set of boring rods, which have been placed under the direction of a practical man who is now engaged in boring on the No. 2 lode, with the view of prospecting it at a depth.” That dredging the bed of the River Molyneux is likely to become of some importance is borne out by the fact that two private companies have been formed with that object. One company (the Times says) consisting entirely of Dunedin shareholders has already a large quantity of material on the ground adjoining the Mutton Town Creek for building their dredge. The other company, in which we notice the names of some well-known residents of Alexandra, in conjunction with that of Mr M‘Queen, of Dunedin, have applied for a special claim for dredging purposes. Mr Dan O’Brien met with a serious accident on the express train between Christchurch an Timaru. He was passing from one carriage to another shortly after the train had passed Winchester station, when his foot slipped and he was thrown to the ground. Efforts were made to communicate with the engine-driver, but owing to some trucks and a horse-waggon being between the passenger carriages and the engine, the bell-rope was not connected with the engine, and the train was not stopped. He was, however, seen to get up and walk shortly afterwards, but by telegram received at Ashburton it was stated that all the toes of one foot were cut off. A most singular accident occurred to a child seven months old at Otaki a few days ago. By some means it placed a two-shilling piece, which had been converted into a brooch, into its mouth. It eventually passed into the child’s throat, to remove it from which all efforts were unsuccessful. After some time (says the Manawatu Herald) a quick-witted matron devised a fishing line on a small scale, which, on being lowered into the little sufferer’s throat, fortunately hooked on to the obstruction, and it was then easily withdrawn. The latest story from the Empire city (remarks the Waikato Mail) is about our friend the Commissioner of Annuities, The Commissioner dropped in one day upon one of his clerks, who was perched on a very lofty stool, with head bowed over a long column of figures, and apparently absorbed in mournful reverie. But little work had done he In the office there that day, Save some sketches light and funny, And a voucher for his pay, Just to while the time away. So deep was the meditation of that clerk that he noticed not the coming of the dreaded chief. There was a long silence which was broken by the Commissioner, who said in answer to an inquiring stare from the absent-minded clerk, “ I’m Luckie,” “I wish to goodness I was,” replied the young Tite Barnacle, “I’ve drawn the favorite, and that wretch North has bolted to California with the entire sweep.” The practice of dancing on the occasion of the death of a child is still kept up in the Argentine Republic, notwithstanding the intelligence of which the people are so fond of boasting. The Buenos Ayres Herald says “The other day at Chivilcoy an infant died of smallpox,

and the corpse was kept exposed for three days, while the friends and the family danced and made fools of themselves in its presence. The Consequence was that several of them have since died of the same disease and have been danced over.” For list of prizes in a grand aft-iinion at Hokitika see fourth page.— [Advt.] To those in search of merriment, visit S. S. Pollock’s, and obtain the great Irish song “The Babies in our Block,” or “Little Sally Waters”; price sixpence. [Advt.]