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Kumara Times, Issue 1603, 16 November 1881, Page 2

As we go to press the polling for the election of members for the Westland County Council is taking place throughout the county, and will close at six o'clock. At the Town Hall, where votes are bein<* recorded for Kumara electors, there was very little excitement noticeable, the number of persons in town whose names are on the County roll being comparatively small to those who are voting at Dillman's. Mr James Wylde was Deputy Returning Officer at Kumara ; and there were present as scrutineers : Mr Thos. Martin for Mr Dungan ; Mr Dugald M'Kinnon for Mr Fergus Barrowman ; and Mr W. B. Robinson for Mr Sandle. At Dillman's, however, the scene was altogether different. Most of the miners resolved to devote half a day to interest themselves in the return of those whom they severally considered the best men, for the opportunity of voting for three members simultaneously is an event which happens only once in as many years ; and as there were wore a large number of eligible candidates, who were all present at the great mining stronghold at one time or other during the day, the scene at the pollingplace (Cavell's boarding-house) was lively throughout the afternoon. A. F. F. Etheridge, Esq., Returning Officer, superintended this the largest polling-place, assisted by Mr John Williams, and Mr R. Taylor as poll-clerk. There were three scrutineers : Mr John White for Mr M'Whirter, Mr Smart for Mr Dungan, and Mr M. Barrowman for Mr Fergus Barrowman. The returns from Goldsborough, and Stafford will no doubt affect the voting here very much, and we may publish the result about 9 or 10 o'clock. The Christchurch mail coach left the Bealey this morning at the usual hour, and arrived at the Kumara post-office at 3.10 p.m.

Dr. Rossetti visited Kumara to-day for the purpose of diagnosing the reported cases of diptheria at the Shallow Lead, and reporting upon the same. He will make no formal report until to-morrow ; but he has stated that in one instance decided symptoms of diptheria had presented themselves, but that the third and last case is unquestionably nothing more than ulcerated sore throat. In each case the patients are progressing favorably. Messrs P. Dungan and P. Barrowman, candidates to represent the Arahura Riding as members of the Westland County Council, addressed the electors at the Public Hall last evening. There was a good attendance. Mr Dugald M'Kinnon occupied the chair. Both candidates were well received. At the conclusion of his address, Mr W. Morris proposed and Mr Wilson seconded a vote of confidence in Mr Dungan as a fit and proper person to represent the electors of the Arahura Riding in the Westland County Council; and Mr M. Maloney proposed and Mr Reynolds seconded a similar motion on behalf of Mr F. Barrowman. Both propositions were declared carried unanimously. Mr R. J. Seddon addressed the electors at Fox's last evening, where he was well received, and on returning to Goldsborough at 10.30 p.m. he found the Oddfellows' Hall literally besieged with persons waiting his return to address them. He did so, and to the great satisfaction of a large number of the electors. At the conclusion of his address to the electors last evening, Mr F. Barrowman said he would be pleased to answer any questions which might be put to him ; he preferred this to going on addressing the people. He was at Callaghans the night before, and it took him about an hour and a-half to answer the questions put to him. They were all politicians at Callaghans. This intimation seemed to spur two or three up a little, and, as if not to be outdone by the Callaghan electors, one person asked—" How would you propose to make the Chinamen pay for miners' rights'?" Mr Barrowman : "As I could not tell one Chinaman from another very well, I would round them up and make everyone produce his miner's right."— [Hear, hear.] Mr George Stewart : Would you be in favor of appointing a detective to do this?" Mr Barrowman : I would make all pay, I consider every Chinaman living on a goldfield should pay for a miner's right, be he a gardener or any other occupation."—[Applause.] A voice : " Would you be in favor of appointing George Stewart detective?"—[Laughter.] The weekly sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court commenced at nine o'clock this morning, before H. A. Stratford, Esq., R.M., and A. C. Campbell, Esq., J.P.; and the time of the Court was occupied until 1.30 p.m., in hearing a charge of perjury. Mr Guinness appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Perkins for the defendant. A large amount of evidence was tahen, and eventually the accused was discharged, the Bench ruling that the justices in the case from which the charge originated were ousted from their jurisdiction.

The Penguin, with the inward mails via San Francisco, reached Wellington on Monday night. The mails for Picton, Nelson, and Westport were transhipped to the Wanaka, which vessel reached Nelson yesterday. The Kumara, Greymouth, and Hokitika mails were taken on by the Penguin to Lyttelton, where they arrived about six o'clock last evening ; and as the coach left early yesterday our mails cannot arrive here until Saturday afternoon. At a meeting of the Amateur Dramatic Club on Monday, it was decided to have a series of performances during the Christmas week ; and we believe the. following is the intended programme : On Monday and Tuesday, " Under the Gaslight; " Wednesday, " The Streets of London;" Thursday, "The Flower Girl," and "The Swiss Swains ;" Friday, " Doing for the Best," and " The Rough Diamond ;" and on Saturday, " Time Tries All," and " The Loan of a Lover." The club will be at heavy expense in the production of these plays, but we have no doubt their desire to provide legitimate amusement during the festive weak will meet with the encouragement they deserve. Mrs Mackintosh makes a general invitation to a ball at the European Hotel this evening. Whether it is in commemoration of the County Council election, the gradual recovery of her little boy from poisoning, or the burst-up of the Italian xVretino's prophecy that the sea would overflow yesterday, the advertisement does not state. Friends of Mr Edward Masters, of Greyihouth, will be exceedingly glad to

learn that his health has taken a favorable turn since the receipt of the telegram announcing that he was in a dangerous state. Mr G. G. Fitz Gerald (the Argus reports) has had his patienco sorely tried since he left Wanganui to prosecute his canvass of the Westland electorate. He was landed at Westport by the Murray, but it was a week before any boat came along to take him to Hokitika, and during all this trying time he had the mortification of knowing that while such valuable time was being wasted, through no fault of his own, his opponent (Mr R. C. Reid) was leaving no stone unturned to make his election sure. So keenly was the detention felt by Mr Fitz Gerald, that he talked of taking proceedings against the Anchor Line Company. Mr Frank Guinness, who is a candidate for the Greymouth district in the General Assembly, has resigned the situation of Warden and R.M. at Collingwood, and decided upon residing permanently in Greymouth. He, along with his family, is expected to arrive during the early part of next week. Another accident has occurred at the Inangahua Junction (says the Lyell Times of Saturday). Mr W. Hanna was crossing with a loaded dray, when it capsized, horses and dray being carried over the fall, and the loading, consisting of goods consigned to the Lyell, swept down the river. Some of the cargo was subsequently recovered. Mr Hanna estimates his loss at between £4O and £SO. He narrowly escaped drowning. A Brisbane telegram of the 3rd inst. says :—The blacks attacked a Chinese camp at Normanby diggings, 45 miles from Cooktown, and have killed and eaten one Chinaman, whose bones were picked clean. A petition in favor of Mr Stevenson's Sunday Closing Bill, in England presented to the House of Commons, was 1100 yards long, and signed by 84,283 women, including the wives of many publicans.