Untitled

Kumara Times, Issue 1577, 17 October 1881, Page 2

The New Zealand Times states positively that the General Election will take place in the beginning of December. Extraordinary exertions are being made to get the rolls ready and the writs issued, and we believe the result will be the nominations in about six weeks’ time, and polling a week or so later.

The Christchurch coaches, which were detained at the Bealey on Saturday through flooded rivers, arrived in town yesterday, at 3.30 p.m. Robert M‘Kay, one of the Bealey roadmen, died at his residence, five miles from the Bealey township, on Friday morning last, after a short illness. He was a drover, and orginally, we are informed, a soldier in India. ,In making for M‘Kay’s hut, Constable Haddrill, who is stationed at the Bealey, had a very narrow escape from drowning on Saturday last. In crossing the Waimakariri river, which was in flood, the horse which the constable was riding seemed to get into some quicksand, and Haddrill thereby lost his seat. Man and horse became separated in the stream ; and it was with great difficulty the constable got on his feet and eventually out of the river.

The Union Company’s s.s. Albion arrived in the Grey roadstead yesterday afternoon, but, in consequence of the heavy sea running on the bar, the tug was unable to go out to her. She would be tendered early this morning. About 40 passengers went away and nearly 14,000 ounces of gold. The s.s. Waiparaleft the Hokitika wharf at 50 minutes past 5 o’clock this morning, and proceeded towards Greymouth to meet the Albion, She took 31 passengers for Melbourne, and five for Sydney. For Melbourne : Mr and Mrs F. A. Learmonth and four children, Messrs Aitkinson and H. Friend, Mr and Mrs Mogdridge and seven children, Mr and Mrs Howell and three children, Mr Nelson and two children, Miss Turnbull, Messrs R. Beck, Boyle, Lowrie, M. Bell, Kirwan. For Sydney : P. Collins and son, and three Chinamen Ah Kin, Ah Wan, Ah Sing.

The Anchor line steamer Kennedy, from Wanganui, Nelson, and Westport, arrived in the Hokitika river this morning, at 5.30. The Zephyr, which arrived from Melbourne in the Hokitika roadstead on the 10th inst., is still beating about there waiting for spring tides. We have received from the Government Printer the complete volume of “The Statutes of New Zealand : passed in the 45th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen

Victoria, and the third session of the seventh Parliament of New Zealand,” being the session of 1881, just closed. Forty-eight public Acts were passed, twenty-seven local Acts, and two private Acts.

We are informed by the West Coast Times to-day in reference to the Kumara electoral district that it is to be wooed by Messrs Barff and Seddon, and that “there is a generally-expressed wish in the district for some more eligible candidate to come forward,” We have heard no such wish, expressed since the candidates mentioned came forward.

At the inquest held at Marsden on Saturday, before H. A. Stratford, Esq., and a jury on the body of the late William Boase Russell, who was drowned while crossing the New River, on horseback on the previous day, the jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death by drowning.” The remains were interred in the Greymouth cemetery this afternoon. Mr Tait, the photographer, has deferred his stay over to-morrow, but will positively leave on Wednesday morning. As to-morrow will be his last day at Kumara this year, the opportunity of having a good portrait should not be lost.

Mr Quinn, of the detective department, has arrived at Reefton from Hokitika to relieve Mr John Nash (of Kumara) in his charge of the Reefton station, and will remain there pending Sergeant Neville’s absence on sick leave. During the short term that Mr Nash has been at Reefton (says the Herald of Thursday last) he has established the most thorough public confidence as an efficient and reliable officer.

A trotting match came off on Tuesday evening last, between Mr R. M'llraith’s mare Nightingale and Mr J. 0. Smithson’s little pony Taffy. Both horses (the Christchurch Press states) were driven, Taffy in a sulky, and carrying two. The distance was from Spring’s Hotel, Leeston, to Mitchell’s Hotel, Southbridge, and the stakes £7 a-side, the pony giving the mare 100 yards start. Taffy came in a winner by nearly 100 yards, which could easily have been increased, if necessary. Two miners, Davey and Handry, were killed in the Catherine reef mine, Eagle Hawk, Victoria, by the breaking of a rope, which had been in constant use three years. Both men were frightfully mutilated.

A man mamed Clarke and his two sons were found. dead in bed, at Millicent, South Australia. It was ascertained that Clarke murdered the two boys, and then committed suicide.