The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1459, 1 June 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1881.

We are informed that a number of children were turned out of the State School this morning because they had not paid up the poll-tax of sixpence per head per month which has been illegally imposed. Legal opinions have been taken, and there is no doubt but that a rate cannot legally be struck. The 41st section of the “Education Act” defines what the revenues of the Central Board shall consist of; they are as follow:-—“Grants from the consolidated fund ; rents and profits derived from pi’operty or endowments vested in the Board ; special endowments, or grants for particular purposes ; special fees for higher education ; any other moneys which the Board may receive from donations, subscriptions, or otherwise.” The 80th section provides that—“ The fund shall consist of moneys granted out of the Board fund ; donations, subscriptions, and all other moneys which may be granted to the Committee for the purposes of the Act.” There is nothing whatever in the Act to. authorise the striking of a rate, and the sooner the question is tested in a Court of law, the better. « The mail coach from Christchurch arrived this afternoon at the usual hour. The report of Mr Seddon’s meeting which appears in another column, is necessarily in a condensed form, his utterances at Dillman’s Town having previously been reported more fully. Last night the monthly inspection of our local Volunteers took place, when 43 answered to their names. Lieut. Spence,

the Inspecting Officer, was in attendance. The men were marched and put through company and half-company and battalion movements ; after which the election of a sub-lieutenant Was proceeded with. There were three candidates nominated—Corporal Sampson, Yol. Dove, and Vol, Robinsoli. Ballot was the mode employed, and the result was that Vol. Robinson was elected by a very large majority. The comet was plainly visible lasi night, and will be for some days to come. Those Avho have not yet seen the mysterious stranger will find it about 25 degrees above the western horizon shortly after sunset, and in very nearly the same position in the heavens as the larger comet months ago on its first appearance, and is visible till 8.30 or 9 p.m. It is travelling in the same direction, towards the sun, and will therefore set earlier each succeeding evening until it becomes lost in the rays of that luminary and reaches its perihelion. An opera glass shows it well. The nucleus is nearly equal to a star of the second magnitude.’ A very small star has been seen right through the brightest part of the tail.

In the vital statistics published in Thursday’s Gazette, Napier occupies the lowest position in the proportion of deaths to the 1000 of population. Timaru stands the highest with 2.11.

Invercargill has lost £6OO on its gasworks for the year, with only 1 per cent, allowed for depreciation of plant. Sandhurst (Victoria) has upward of fifty miles of streets planted with flourishing elms, pines, oaks, and eucalypti. Not content, a progressive ratepayer asks the City Council to plant their further roadways with orange trees. The Brisbane Courier states that Queensland ports are closed against the importation of cattle, sheep, and pigs, from all parts beyond the colonies of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand.

The Sydney Bulletin tells a wicked story about the Duke of Manchester, which no doubt has the additional merit of not being true. It says “ The Duke of Manchester learnt to play cribbage on his way down to New Zealand in the Wakatipu. Dick Thatcher was his tutor. ‘ Don’t know this game Y said Dick; ‘Why, an English duke is the patron saint of cribbage players ! Four peg and deal is the Duke of Beaufort’s game.’ Whereupon the Duke tackled the ‘ fifteentwo’ business, and when proficient challenged the Ladies Ann and Mary Marsham, who were his fellow passengers. The Hon. Marsham was a fourth. It was some fun, Dick says, to watch the game. The ladies would not say ‘ go’ but ‘ sufficient,’ and instead of one for his ‘nob,’ ‘I score one, seeing that the knave 1 hold in my hand is of the same denomination as the card on the pack.’ Fact.” The earthquake statistics of the quarter of a century beginning with 1850 and ending with 1875, are said by Dr. Julius Stride to record no less than 4620 earthquakes. Most of the 4620 earthquakes of 1850-75 consisted of a series of shocks ; an isolated shock seems to have been rare. Nearly one-fourth of these recorded earthquakes, no less than 1004, occurred on 582 different days along the Alps westward of the Rhine ; while 81 shocks were recorded on 68 different days in the Eastern Alps.

A sad case is just reported : Two loving beings that had plighted their troth some years ago, and were about to be married, are separated for ever. They were sitting together one evening, going on about as usual, when the weaker observed to the stronger rather petulantly : “ Willie ! you don’t understand anything about hugging; you haven’t got the knack of it.” He replied in a disheartened tone : “ That’s very strange, for I’ve been practising on two or three other girls for several months.”