The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1500, 19 July 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1881.

The first meeting of the new Hospital Committee will be held in the Secretary's Room, Main street, at eight o'clock this evening.

The Resident Magistrate's Court was occupied from eight o'clock last evening till after four this morning in hearing two cases of indecent assault preferred against William Burfield Galland, carpenter, of this town. The evidence of the children upon whom the assault was committed as well as that of their associates who were examined was of such a nature that the Resident Magistrate wisely ordered that the evidence should be heard with doors closed to the public. In our report of the proceedings we have for the same reason withheld from publication many of the words made use of in the explanation of the offences committed and also the exact nature of the offence itself in each of the two cases tried. On the first charge, that which is reported in another column, the accused was acquitted. On the second charge, judgment was delivered this morning, when the accused was committed to take his trial at the next session of the Supremo Court at Hokitika. Bail was allowed, himself in £IOO, and two sureties of £SO each. The third information was withdrawn.

Thes.s. Hero, we are kindly telegraphed by the agent, 1 sailed direct for Hokitika last night from Lyttelton, and will sail for Melbourne direct to-morrow afternoon, from West Coast ports. We have received from the Government Printer Hansard Nos. 7 and 8, and a bundle of Parliamentary papers. In the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before H. A. Stratford, Esq., R.M., George Simmons was sued, at the instance of the Borough Council, to show reason why he should not be ousted of office as a member of that body. Mr Wylde appeared on behalf of the Council,

and stated that the case had been adjourned from a former sitting of the Court to allow Mr Simmons to send in his resignation in a proper manner, and that as lie had failed to avail himself of the opportunity offered, instructions had been given to proceed with the case. In evidence Mr Wylde produced the Valuation List, and the Burgess Roll, in neither of which did Mr Simmons' name appear, except as certifying lo the correctness of one of the documents. The defendant stated to the Court that he had already sent in his resignation, which had been accepted by the Mayor, but re* fused by the Town Clerk. The Court adjudged that Mr Simmons be ousted from the office under clause 61 subjection 5 of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1876."

The dramatic meeting called last night at the Adelphi Theatre passed off satisfactorily, some 22 members joining the Kumara Amateur Dramatic Club. Mr W. Warren was appointed stage manager. Rules were made and the drama " The Streets of London" was decided upon as the first piece to be played, it being a play with a large cast of good characters and replete with startling incidents, with a good scope for scenic and mechanical effects ; it had a long successful run recently in London. It is intended to give the first performance at an early date for the benefit of the local Hospital. Honorary members can now join at an annual subscription of five shillings.

An advertisement in the Pleasant Creek News, intimating that. Mrs Bacgeritz would conduct Divine service in the Baptist Church at Stawell, terminates with the following announcement:—"Persons with coughs and bearers of children in arms are accommodated with seats in the vestry." The estimated value of the Melbourne Public Library and Picture Gallery is £500,000. An Adelaide grain merchant has stated that Victorian wheat this season is superior to their own.

The Belgium Telephone Company have made arrangements so that any of the subscribers leaving word any evening may be awakened at any hour the next morning by means of a powerful alarm. Professor Darwin, though past seventy, and confined to his bed, continues to prosecute his researches. He is an inveterate reader.