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Kumara Times, Issue 1411, 9 April 1881, Page 2

Both the Christchurch coaches arrived this afternoon. The San Francisco mail is being forwarded by the Muvray, which left Nelson at 8.30 p.m. yesterday. The Kumara portion of the mail may probably arrive via Hokitika to-morrow evening. Messrs O'Connor and Martin, Government C.Es., visited the Kumara sludgechannel yesterday ; but, as yet, we understand, no settlement with Mr Maher, the conti'actor, has been made. We have been requested to draw the attention of miners and others to the absolute necessity of filling in the census papers which have been left at their abodes, and to adopt some course by which the sub-enumerators may obtain possession of them when filled up. The frequent calls of these semi-officials involves considerable time and delay, and this loss comes eventually out of the public purse. We would suggest, and more particularly to those who live in homes of solitude or lives of single blessedness (?) that they should leave these papers at some store or place where they may be readily obtained. The Comedy and Burlesque Company repeated "The Saughraun" at the Theatre Royal last night to a fair house. The piece was much appreciated by the audience, applause being liberal and hearty. To-night the Company give the inhabitants in and around Kumara a treat in a grand triple programme, showing their versatility by Irish comedy, Scotch drama, and songs and dances introduced between the two pieces. Such a programme ought to draw a crowded house. This Company has acted very generously during their tour on this Coast; they have given entertainments with considerable advantage to the Hospitals in Hokitika and Gi'eymouth, and now we see by advertisement they have kindly arranged to give a benefit next Tuesday for the Kumara Hospital. It is only right, there' fore that we should support a company of such liberal views apart from their professional merits. We hope to see a crowded house to-night. The new Wesleyan minister, the Rev. Mr Fennell, arrived by coach this afternoon, and will preach in the Wesleyan Church to-morrow, morning and evening. The Warden's Court will be opened on on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. From to-day the extra charge of 6d on telegrams will be abolished at the following stations :—Hampden, Herbert, Kerkerangu, Longford, Lyell, Manuherikia, Ohawai, Owake, Richmond, Tarawera, Tophouse, Upper Hutt, Waitara, Wainui, Waipu, and Waitotara. We understand that Mr Price is the successful tenderer for the contract for the restoration of the dolphins at the Teremakau bridge on behalf of the General Government. The following other tenders have been dealt with by the Westland County Council :—Widening section 1, Kanieri Lake Track—Accepted : Conrick andCo.,£l996s6d. Declined: P. O'Reilly, £345; G. Lyes, £243; 0. M'Guigan, £237 10s ; J. Lafferty, £272 ; Krakowski and Co., £2BO. Horse and buggy hireAccepted : Cassidy and Clarke. Reconstruction of Kapitea bridge and approaches, Greenstone road Accepted : Wilcox and Co., £485. Declined: Foot and Co., £569 3s 4d; J. Nightingale, £577 2s 6d ; Alexander Thompson, £532 6s 8d; Litchgen and Co., £577 17s 8d;. Patrick Dee, £534 lis ; Price and Co., £497 ; Thomas Daly, £595 8s 6d. We observe that Mr F. A. Learmonth will hold an auction sale at Kumara on Tuesday next, at 12 o'clock. Persons desiring to enter anything in the sale book for auction can do so on application to Mr W. Nicholson, Main street, at whose premises the sale will take place. Tenders are invited for 16,000 feet of squared and sawn timber. Specifications can be seen at the Albion Hotel. The Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Herald hears that Messrs Oswald Curtis, of Nelson, and Swanson, of Auckland, are to be called to the Upper House. It is said that the investigations of the Civil Service Commissioners Messrs Seed and Batkin, at Gisborne, have disclosed defalcations in the Native Office there. It was decided last night to establish a Football Club in Greymouth, and Messrs Bishop, Boulton, Hopkins, Malcolm, and Joseph Petrie, were elected as a committee, with Mr Weymouth as secretary and treasurer. " D.V., a meeting will be held." We (Liberty) all understand what the initials

stand for, but I came across them the other day in a singular place. Beading the wanteds in the Times, I saw that a person advertising for a place, wished people to "apply d.v." to such and such a place. It is intended to transfer several female clerks from the Savings Bank to the office of the Receiver and Accountant-General, England, for employment in a new branch of the latter office, which will be charged with carrying out the new postal notes scheme. In addition to filling up the vacancies caused by this transfer, an early increase of the female staffs in the Savings Banks is in contemplation. An interesting legal point was raised by ! the prisoner's counsel in a trial for bigamy ' at the Central Griminal Court, London, recently. The prisoner, one Wilplim, who appears to be a remarkable specimen of the criminal adventurer, was married in 1864 to a lady named Erie. They were separated, and in 1869 he married another lady, from whom he was divorced. In 1874 he married a third lady, from whom he was divorced in 1876. In 1879 he was married to a fourth lady, and in the following year he married the fifth, the fourth being still alive. He was now tried for marrying the fifth lady, the first wife being still alive. The facts were admitted, but his counsel contended that, as there was no proof that the first wife (Erie) was still living, or that the prisoner knew that she was living when he contracted the subsequent marriage, the indictment must fail, and that the subsequent marriages were merely invalid. On his being found guilty sentence was respited, in order that the judge might consider whether he ought to reserve the legal point raised for argument by prisoner's counsel. If the case is correctly reported it does not seem (the Law Times says) that there was much necessity for reserving the point, for it appears that there was no evidence that the first Wife was alive, which in itself was sufficient to break down the case for the Crown, and the same observation applies to the second defence taken. For list of priaes in a grand art-Union 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.]