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Kumara Times, Issue 1554, 20 September 1881, Page 2

The Hawea with the San Francisco mails reached Wellington last evening. The Westland portion will be forwarded by the Charles Edward, which leaves Nelson at seven o’clock this evening. She is expected to arrive in the Hokitika river on Thui’sday. The Hero arrived at the ports last evening, was tendered, and proceeded on her voyage to Sydney. We acknowledge receipt of Hansard No. 24, from the Government Printer.

The Hospital Committee will hold their usual bi-monthly meeting at the Secretary’s room, at 8 o’clock this evening. Mails for the United Kingdom, via Brindisi and Australia, per Te Anau, close at the Bluff to-morrow (Wednesday), the 21st, .at noon.

In the Warden’s Court this morning, judgment was given in the case of Fisher and party against M‘Mahon and party. Mr Hannan appeared for the defendants. The decision was for the plaintiffs.— Hannan v. Sellars and parly. This was a friendly suit to rectify defects by the removal of a peg marking the boundary of a claim. Judgment for plaintiff.—The following applications were dealt with : T. Rowe, an application for a tail-race ; granted. The application of Metcalfe and party for a tunnel was granted.—lrwin and party applied by their agent, Mr Hannan, for the registration of a tunnel; granted.—The application of Garvin and party for a double-area was granted.— Thomas Fell applied by his agent, Mr Hannan, for a residence area.—Granted, subject to conditions.—The applications of Stewart and Muirhead, G. Weston, and Borlase and party, for double areas, were granted.

In. the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, before H. A. Stratford, Eaq., R.M., Bridget Johnston was charged with having assaulted Jane Harris. A plea of guilty was put in, and a fine of Is was hiflicted.—An application was made for the defendant in the previous case to find sureties to keep the peace. Case dismissed.—A few unimportant civil cases were disposed of. From the 24th inst. the Armed Constabulary station at Cape Egmont, county of Taranaki, will be opened for the receipt and transmission of messages ; but will not be open to the public on Sundays. The Warden’s and Resident Magistrate’s Courts are appointed to be held next month on Wednesdays, at noon. The tenders for improvements of Tui and Third streets, and the drainage of Union street, close to-morrow, at noon.

We draw the attention of' the trade to the sale of potatoes, &c., on the Wharf, Hokitika, by Messrs Wade and Spence, to-morrow. This is one of the last lots of potatoes that will be submitted to public auction, and, as they are an excellent sample, it offers a rare opportunity to merchants and others to lay in a good stock. Love’s-troupe of Juvenile Minstrels left for Christchurch by special. coach yesterday. The harbor of Kawhia, which has hitherto been kept closed by the Maoris, is one of the best along the West Coast of the North Island. It contains about 4000 acres, two sides of which are deep water up to the very shores. The bar is not a sand bar, blit a solid stone ridge of no great width, channels or entrances through which could be easily made with dynamite. In the middle of the harbor is an island of some 150 acres in extent; which adds still more to the means of securing shelter for smaller crafts. It is said that on the bar at present there is never less than 20ft. of water at half-tide. •

The latest “new departure” in newspaper enterprise is reported froiii New Orleans. The “ Democrat” of that city has fitted up a branch office on a barge, which, having been towed up the Missis ; sippi river to Memphis, is now floating down to New Orleans again, stopping at all points of interest on the way to gather information concerning the country along the river and for some distance back into the interior. The barge is sixty feet long, with twelve feet width of beam. Its interior accommodation comprises business, editorial and job offices, composing and press rooms, sleeping apartments, diningroom, kitchen, and stable for the horses used in making land trips back from the river; It is practically a fully-equipped newspaper establishment afloat.

A friend who happened to find himself sitting next to the Baronessßurdett-Coutts at a Society gathering the other night, tells me (says a covrrespondent) that the change in the Baroness’s appearance is wonderful. It is a change wholly for the better. The Baroness looks ten years younger than she did, and instead of the plain drab dresses she used to wear, she now affects gay, girlish costumes which, if they do not exactly correspond with her face, suit at least her slim and not inelegant figure. The young husband has probably a great many more years’ conjugal felicity before him than some people bargained for.

The “ Kordig Essence” is a new burning fluid discovered by M. Kordig. A Parisian chemist is said to have filled a lamp with it, ignited the wick, tossed the lighted lamp’ against the ceiling, covering himself

and the bystanders with the flaming liquid, which, much to the astonishment of those present, proved entirely devoid of “ heat or burning capacity.” The inventor soaked his handkerchief ahd hat in the mineral “essence” and set them on fire. The fluid burnt out, loavhl'g the hat and handkerchief uninjured. Several other experiments equally wonderful are said to have been made with this marvellous fluid that “ produces light without heat.” We shall await a confirmation of the properties of this strange fluid with a good deal of interest.

A novelty in the art of self-murder reaches us from Russia. A prominent official of tlie Russian administration at Wilna, who was also a colonel in the Imperial Guards, became recently affected with melancholy, through a love affair. A few days ago he repaired to his estate at Urtebsk,'and ordered the peasants to bonfire, which he had saturated with all inannpr of inflammables. At midnight he proceeded to the bonfire, set fire to it, then, climbing to : the top, took his seat on a barrel of tar and blew his brains out. A peasant passing near gave the alarm, but the villagers arrived too late to save the colonel’s body from cremation.