The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1468, 11 June 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1881.

The Christchurch coaches left the Bealey at the usual hour this morning, and arrived here at 3.20 p.m. Captain Edwin wired yesterday afternoon—“ Bad weather is expected from south to north-east by the east; glass further fall ; sea heavy from south-west within twelve hours.

There ivill be a total eclipse of the moon to-morrow evening, and, if Captain Edwin permits, though his telegram gives us gloomy forebodings in that respect, the several phases (with the exception of the first) will be visible at the times hereunder given ;

The beginning of totality, it will be seen, commences at about dusk. The magnitude of the eclipse will be (Moon’s diameter =1) 1.348.

The Wellington special correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes ;—“I observe some reports have been spread by Opposition journals that a difference has already arisen in the Cabinet on the education question. lam positively assured, however, that there is not the slightest foundation for this rumor—indeed that the subject of education has not even yet been dealt with in the Cabinet at all. It stands to reason that such men as Mr Rolleston, an ultra-secularist; Mr Dick, a Bible-in-schools advocate; Mr Johnston, a Roman Catholic, and Major Atkinson, a denominationalist, for instance, would not deliberately associate themselves together in Cabinet without some very distinct understanding as to the neutral ground on which they might meet in respect to this vexed question. I have every reason to believe that complete unanimity exists in the Minisrry as to the course to be taken regarding education, and that the hopes of the Opposition as to its causing a split in the Cabinet are not at all realised.”

A singular case of mental disease is reported by the Auckland Herald—that of a female patient in the Lunatic Asylum. She was admitted shortly before Christmas from the country, her reason having given way through domestic infelicity, and under circumstances of a peculiarly trying character. During the whole of the above period she has never spoken a single word, and the only movement of the body as she lies on her pallet is the ceaseless tossing day and night of her head on the pillow. If left to her devices she would die of voluntary inanition, and she is kept alive by small quantities of milk being forced through the clenched teeth. As time rolls on the restless tossing of the head is becoming moi’e feeble in its manifestations, and the poor woman must ultimately succumb to exhaustion. Hie case has completely baffled medical skill, and is one rarely met with in medical experience. One of the witnesses examined at the investigation into the circumstances attending the seizure of the steamer India, alias Ferret, in Hobson’s Bay, is reported to have stated that it was in contemplation, should circumstances prove favorable, to ship a couple of guns at Sandridge, with the view of waylaying and plundering one of the mail steamers carrying specie from Australia to England.

They have beeh trying to solve the Chinese difficiilty at Wagga, where the local journal informs il£ that seventeen Chinamen were recently badly poisoned by a fellow-countryman making tea in a bucket which had been used for a sheep foot-rot specific. Only one died*

James Gordon Bennett’s latest conceit is the engagement for his personal gratification, for the space of one month, of the celebrated orchestral leader from Vienna, Johann Stauss, who arrived at Pau about the Ist of March with an orchestra of eighty performers. This royal caprice cost Mr Bennett the bagatelle of 140,000 francs, but he is rich enough to pay for his whims.

An exciting scene took place the other evening at the Opera ball, Paris, which was unusually brilliant, the receipts amounting to nearly £2OOO. A young woman, who had been standing near the buffet, perceiving a gentleman with whom she was acquainted passing by with a rival beauty, exclaimed, “I knew very Well that you were deceiving me,” and attempted to stab herself with a dagger that she had concealed in her domino. The force of the blow was fortunately deadened by an opportune piece of whalebone, and before the victim of “the green-eyed monster” could repeat the blow, she was disarmed and arrested. The wound is very slight.

First contact with penumbra H. 3 M. 45 p.m. First contact with shadow ... 4 41 Beginning of total phase 5 44 Middle of the eclipse 6 23 End of total phase ... 7 3 Last contact with shadow ... 8 6 Last contact with penumbra.. 9 2 »>