The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1529, 22 August 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 1881.

With this issue we enclose the speech of Mr R. J. Seddon, on the Gold Ditty Abolition Bill, delivered in the House of Representatives on the 4th inst., as given in Hansard.

What might have proved a very serious accident occurred about ten o’clock yesterday morning, on the Greenstone road. A youth in the employ of Mr S. S. Pollock, Kumara, was driving homewards in a light spring trap, and when he had reached a little distance this side of Houlahan’s Junction Hotel, the ground suddenly caved in and the horse went down up to his shoulders in a hole. The boy, who was thrown on to the side of the trap jumped out; the horse also made a jump, and got on to terra firma again, sustaining only a few scratches. It appears that a tail-race, said to be 20ft. deep, crosses the road here, and it was the ground over this that had caved in. The boy escaped unhurt, and no injury was done to the trap. We did not learn to whom the tail-race belonged or whether it was in use or not, but it seems to us that the authorities who have the care of the roads should satisfy themselves of the safety of the public wherever tunnels and races are allowed to cross the natural highways. The Union Company’s steamer Hero left Lyttelton on Saturday night for Greymouth direct, and should arrive there this evening, when she will be tendered by the tug Lioness. She will be tendered at Hokitika at eight o’clock to-morrow morning. A few days since, we called attention to a blunder in the Protection of Animals Act, which prevented interference with persons who indulged in shooting native game out of season. We now observe that the Government have introduced a bill to remedy the defect in last year’s legislation, but some time must elapse ere the measure becomes law. The Kumara branch of the Irish Land League, forwarded to the central body by the last English mail the sum of £59 10s. We have received from the Government Printer, a copy of the Public Works Statement which is accompanied by two sketch maps of the North and Middle Islands of New Zealand, shewing the authorised railways made, under construction, and not begun; also several bills, and Nos. 16 and 17 Hansard. The agent of the Government Life Insurance Department for this district, Mr W. Hindmarsh, is now in Kumara for the purpose of receiving applications for life and may be seen at Mr Gilbert Stewart’s Hotel, where forms of proposal may he obtained and the general advantages of this institution ascertained. Five children, all belonging to one family, were killed by a railway train near San Francisco, on May 2nd.