The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1424, 26 April 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1881.

There were a large number of passengers bound fur Christchurch by the coaches early this morning, eighteen we hear, sixteen of whom took passage by Mr Rugg’s new coach, which left at five o'clock. Sittings of the Warden’s and Resident Magistrate’s Courts were held to-day. The business will be noticed in to-mor-row’s issue. An accident occurred at Cape Terrace yesterday by which a much-respected miner named David Harrold was for a time placed in a very precarious position. Whilst working at the face of a tunnel, some loose earth came away, and in its fall threw a slab across one of his legs, pinning it to the ground. Assistance was fortunately near at hand, and although he was found nearly smothered over, we are pleased to say he was liberated not much the worse for his temporary incarceration.

The annual parish meeting in connection with Holy Trinity Church for the purpose of electing church officers for the ensuing year, adopting the balance-sheet, &c., was held in the church last evening. Mr Hobbs was elected as parish church warden, Mr Skilton was reappointed minister’s churchwarden ; and the following members of the congregation were appointed vestrymen : —Messrs Metcalfe, Stockman, Ward, Burrell, T. Davidson, Valentine, Rudkin, Wheeler, Yoysey, Donelly. The financial position of the church was considered very satisfactory, as it was found the debt on the church has been reduced from between £4OO and £SOO in 1878 to £OB, notwithstanding the amount of money expended in painting,

building room, vestry, &c., and also paying off during the year old debts to the amount of £SO. Votes of thanks were passed to the auditors, the choir, Mr Holmes (for gifts) and others ; and a special vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs Horneman for her services as organist. It was decided to accept the kind offer of the Rev. T. Flavell, of a lecture in aid of the funds of the church, during his stay here. The monthly inspection of the local Rifles takes place this evening. The County Chairman requests creditors of the Arahura Road Board to attend, either personally or by agent authorised in writing, at the County Chambers, Hokitika, on Monday next, May 2nd, from noon till 1 p.m., to receive cheques and bills for sums due to them by the Board. The s.s. Hero left Sydney on Friday last with 380 Chinese for New Zealand. Diphtheria is reported to have broken out at Stafford, and one child is imported to have died from its effects. The County Chairman despatched Dr. James to Stafford on Sunday, to inquire into the facts of the case, and report thereon. The Stafford Town bakery is to let, or for sale. The “ Haven” gold-mining swindle, of which we published an account on the 11th inst., caused no small sensation amongst the persons interested in mining at the Thames, and especially amongst those whose ground is sought to be disposed of by the company who advertised in the London Standard of a recent date. Captain Thomas, of the Kapanga Company, at once telegraphed to London denouncing the affair as a swindle. The Auckland sharebrookers had a meeting on the subject, and decided to place themselves in communication with the brokers at the Thames. The whole affair is denounced as a “bare-faced swindle.” The drawing for the prizes in the Greymouth Carnival Art Union in aid of the funds of the Grey District Benevolent Society took place at the Fire Brigade Hall last night. The following were the winning numbers Ist prize (£10) No. 365 (a Greyniouth man); 2nd (£5), No. 1, (Father Roland, Ahaura) ; 3rd (£3), No--319 ; 4th (£2), No. 293 ; sth (£1), 246. AIL the other prizes were £1 each—6th, 282; 7th, 192 ; Bth, 236 ; 9th, 122. The Nelson Colonist learns that in Cameron’s £SOOO sweep on the Christchurch Meeting two prizes went to Nelson. The winners in both cases are industrious working men, one of them having a large family, and although each drew a nonstarter, the amount each receives is £IOO less ten per cent, for expenses. A fine sturdy little boy of Mr James Coakley, Greymouth, met his death in a very painful manner. On Sunday evening, (the Argus states) while the family were at tea, the little fellow snatched at a cup of boiling hot tea that had just been poured out, and drew the contents all over his breast. The result was the poor little fellow was scalded terribly, so much that his flannel shirt stuck to the skin, which came away when the shirt was taken off. After enduring a great deal of pain, the little fellow, who was only about two years old, succumbed to an attack of convulsions yesterday morning.

A man named Rice Foulkes, a butcher-, carrying with him a double-barrelled gun, is missing from his residence, Tuam street, Christchurch. It will be remembered (says the Dunedin Morning Herald of Tuesday last) that a woman named Emily Donaldson was missed, under peculiar circumstances, about nine days ago, and that she left behind her a letter and some wearing apparel at the hotel at Waverley. The suspicion that she had committed suicide appears to have been verified yesterday morning, for her body was discovered in the bay, about a mile below Waverley. The body was much eaten by fish about the face. —At the inquest on the body on the following day, a verdict was returned that she committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity. It appeared from the evidence that she had lived for some years with a man named Wether ill, who used to beat her with his hands and with “the poker.” The disparity in the carriage rates on the railways of New Zealand and those in the Australian colonies has (the Dunedin Star reports) been repeatedly pointed out. In New South Wales firewood is carried fifty miles for 4s lOd per ton ; in New Zealand double the amount is charged. Coal is carried in the former colony the same distance for 5s 3d per ton ; in the latter colony 9s 4d for foreign and 7s 8d for local coal. Milk is carried in New South Wales, under 300 gallons, at Id a a gallon ; above it kl ; but in New Zealand it is 2.jd per gallon all round. In New South Wales flour is carried fifty

miles for 5s 8d per ton ; in Victoria, 7s 3d ; in Queensland, 8s 4d ; in South Australia, 10s 5d ; in New Zealand, 12s lOd. The price in New South Wales for all agricultural produce is 5s 8d for fifty miles. In New Zealand it is, as above stated, 12s lOd. 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.] For list of prizes in a grand art-union at Hokitika see fourth page. —-[Advt.]