The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1882.

Kumara Times, Issue 1674, 9 February 1882, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1882.

The County Chairman (P. Dungan, Esq.) has kindly telegraphed ns that he communicated on the 3rd inst. with the Hon. the Minister of Public Works urging the letting of the contracts for the upper Kapitea dam. In a reply just received the County Chairman is informed that Mr Rolleston consulted with Messrs Blair and O’Connor, engineers, while at Dunedin, and the matter is now awaiting the report of these gentlemen upon the whole question. The County Chairman also has been in Communication with Government re the deviation of the Christchurch road, and expects a reply to-day. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, a few unimportant civil cases were disposed of. There was no crimiinal business. Mr John Tait, the photographer, has arrived, and is in attendance at his Studio in Main street, to take likenesses of those persons who have been anxiously waiting his arrival, and also all others who desire to interview him during his very short stay in Kumara. The Union Steamship Company (the Auckland Star reports) arc sending Homo by every English vessel large quantities of kauri timber, intended for planking in the new boats at present building. Kauri is considered much superior to the American woods, being free from knots, which occur so awkwardly in other-woods available. The remains of the victims of the late fire at West Eyreton was interred in the Rangiora Presbyterian Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, the Ist inst. Despite the inclement state of the weather, a large number of residents in the Eyreton district showed their sympathy for the relatives of the deceased by attending the funeral. I he service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. W. M‘Gregor, of Kaiapoi. A telegram states that the boat in which Hanlan was to row Boyd for the championship of the world in June next has been completely destroyed at Putney. Nicol Fleming, one of the defaulting directors of the Glasgow Bank, who absconded in 1878, has returned to Scotland, and was arrested on January 25th.

The Times publishes an article recently referring to the extensive grant voted annually by the Victorian Parliament for public instruction. It remarks that Australia needs arms more than brains, and considers that there is little fear that education will starve in the labor field while the power is retained of magnificently rewarding the laborer. Professor Nemnayer, of Hamburg, and formerly of the Melbourne Flagstaff Observatory, an old friend of the lost explorer, Dr. Leichhardt, has announced his belief in the truth of the statements made by Mr Skuthorpe, of Queensland, concerning the finding of the Leichhardt relics. After investigation into the matter, he has come to the conclusion that the truth of Skuthorpe’s story and the genuineness of the relics must be considered as established. Mrs Langtry made her first appearance as a regular member of the Haymarket Company on January 13, as Blanche Hay, in “Ours.” Her success has provoked a terrific outburst of professional jealousy. She is said to receive £SOO a week at the Haymarket—twice the highest existing salary..