The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, JULY 4, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1487, 4 July 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, JULY 4, 1881.

The Christchurch coach with the San Francisco and East Coast mails, arrived this afternoon, at one o'clock. These were due on Saturday afternoon last, but the recent stormy weather and flooded rivers made us doubtful of their arrival even so soon. Mr Rugg's coach arrived at 12.15 p.m. The mails were promptly sorted, and delivered in a very ahort time after arrival.

The sitting of the Warden's Court will commence this evening, at 8 o'clock. To-day is the anniversary of American independence. The definite treaty was signed at Paris, September 3, 1783 ; but thirteen American colonies declared themselves independent of British rule on July 4, 1776. A painful accident occurred to Mr Pollard, of the upper saw-mills, Dillman's Town, this morning. Whilst chopping a log of wood, a piece struck him violently in the eye. Mr Pollard was immediately brought to town, and Dr. Porter dressed the wound promptly, but cannot at present state what will be the result—whether the Bight will be permanently lost or not.

By inadvertence the name of Mr Kiely was omitted from the list of the Barton Testimonial Committee, published on Friday last. A meeting of the Barton Testimonial Committee was held on Saturday evening. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair. In spite of the highly unfavorable weather, there was a good attendance from all parts of the district. The following sub-committees were appointed to canvass for subscriptions : Kuraara—His Worhip the Mayor, Messrs Hannan, Barff, Maloney, and Skilton ; Dillman's Town and Dunedin Flat—Messrs Bass, W. Morris, and Reynolds; Larrikins—Messrs Goodwin, Barrowman, and Dungan; Westbrook—Messrs Kiely, Shaw, and Corrigan : Greenstone—Messrs E. King, Harris and Whinnery. The meeting adjourned to the 12th of July. By a notice which appears in our advertising columns under the hands of Dr. Giles, the Crown Lands Commissioner, it will be seen that a large number of town allotments in Kumara have been released and withdrawn from the Kumara Education Reserve, and will be offered for sale by public auction after the expiration of three months from this date, in conformity with the 153rd section of the "Land Act, 1877." The sections will be sold subject to valuation for improvements, as provided for in clauses 43 and 47 of " The Mines Act, 1877." The Regulations of Elections Bill was was gone on with in the House on Friday evening. The amendment proposed by Saunders that the clause respecting written nominations be struck out, was carried by a majority of one. On clause 16 an amendment was moved by Mr Bastings, that the poll open at 6 a.m. instead of 9, but was lost on the voices. A further amendment was moved that the poll close at 8 instead of 6 ; the House divided, and the clause as printed passed. Mr Montgomery moved an amendment affirming the principle of allowing no person to exercise more than one vote ; this was negatived by 28 to 23. Mr Montgomery also moved that clause 34 be altered so as to strike out the provision preventing anyone voting for more that two candidates in districts returning three members. This amendment was negatived on the voices.

The Borough Council of Hpkitika have passed a bye-law which imposes a fine, not exceeding five pounds, upon any person who "rings any bell, beats any drum or gong, or makes any other loud noise in or adjacent to any street or public place to the annoyance of any person of persons." At a public meeting at Hokitika held on Friday night, the following resolution for presentment to Parliament was unanimously carried—" That in view of the large sums of public money already expended upon the Hokitika and Grey railway, the Hokitika harbor works, and the Mikonui water-race, the non-com-pletion of which renders such expenditure valueless (save in the case of the harbor works) ; and in view of the great benefits that would accrue to this district and to the colony generally from the early completion of the works mentioned, this meeting strongly urges upon the Government to immediately take such measures as will ensure the early completion of same, so as to retain and increase the population, and to develop the chief industry of the country."

A contemporary calculates that after the five Sundays in February of 1880, "we will have to wait until 1920 for the same concurrence." He has been a long time making this calculation; but, all right—we will wait. Six larrikin tin-kettlers, who had serenaded a freshly-wedded couple, have been brought up at Young, New South Wales, and the ringleader fined £2O, or three months' in gaol in default.