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Kumara Times, Issue 1710, 23 March 1882, Page 2

The sittings of the Resident Magistrate s, Warden's, and Assessment Courts are further adjourned till Wednesday next, tlio 29th instant. This is a very unfortunate matter for miners and other’s, particularly at the present time ; but the ways of Providence are ‘ 1 inscrutable, and past finding out.” We were aware when on 1 uesday last the notice was given that Rr. Giles would hold the sittings tomorrow that that gentleman was, like Mr •Stratford, nob in the best of health. Now, however, we regret to learn, that Dr. Giles’ illness is of such a nature that he is confined to his bed, and cannot therefore attend to the Kumara Courts to-morrow. On the other hand, we are pleased to learn that Mr Stratford’s health is improving, and, he hopes to have sufficiently recovered by Wednesday next to hold the various Courts mentioned on that day, commencing at 12 noon, as advertised.

The Borough Council will hold their usual meeting this evening. A special meeting of the Central Education Board was held at the office of the Board At Greymouth, last evening. The following members were present Messrs Perkins (Chairman), Reid, Warner, Parfitt, and Petrie. Mr Perkins (Chairman) formally gave notice to move that the resolution passed at the last general meeting declaring that Messrs Morice, Grimmond, and Guinness had been elected members of the Board by a majority of votes, be revoked or altered. The meeting then adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day, when Messrs Morrice, Grimmond, and M'Whirter were elected to fill the three ordinary vacancies in the Board. Daring the months of April and May, the Union Steamship Company will issue Exhibition tickets by their steamers in the intercolonial trade at the same reduced rates that were charged during the Melbourne Exhibition. On the Coast, the fares will be reduced to what is termed the holiday rates, or 30 per cent, off two single fares. The tickets issued during April and May will be available up to the 30th of June. The advantages of a timely notice in the local press were well illustrated yesterday, (Mr M‘Ennis, the Clerk of the Coux’ts, informs us), as, out of between 80 or 90 persons who would have had to attend Court on Wednesday last (the usual day), by reason of an advertisement which appeared in the Kxjmara Times on the previous day notifying the postponement of the Courts, only one person out of that large number attended yesterday, to find the Court adjourned and that pei’son came from Greenstone, six miles. By another notice which appears in this issue it will be seen the Courts are again adjourned till Wednesday next. The County Council invite tendnrs (returnable on Wednesday, April 13th, at noon), for the supply of 300 cublic yards of gravel on the Dilhnan’s-Christchurch road. Specifications may be seen at the Council Chambers, and at Mr Foldi’s store, Dillman’s Town. The following weights were declared last evening for the Handicap and Hurdle Handicap to be run at the Easter meeting at Hokitika on Monday and Tuesday, April 10th and 11th .-—Hokitika Handicap ; Fishhook, lOst 41t>; Longlands, lOst; Talent, 9at 31b; York, Bst 6tb; Halfcaste, Bst 6ft>; Ratfdou, Sat, lib ; Rore, 7st 9!b ; Dick, 7st 81b ; Mary Stuart, 7st 61b; Bide-a-Wee, 7st Gib; Whalebone, 6st 41b. Hurdle Race—Dick, lOst 121 b ; Whalebone, 9st 71b ; Bat, 9st 4tb ; Zoe, Bst 121 b. A terrific sea was breaking oh Farewell Spit last Saturday, the roar being heard for many miles. The Hon. Mr Rolleston, it appears; is visiting the Piako mine. The question of a rock drill is to be laid before him. The Hon. Mr Bryce meets the Natives re certain land claims at Piako. 1 Xn reference to this visit, the Wellington correspondent of the Press telegraphs last Monday as follows :—The local papers quote a canard of a very startling character, boldly published by a southern contemporary. It is to the effect that ‘ ‘ the Government intends making a flying survey through the King Country and seeking the opportunity to arrest Winiata, Te Kooti, and other Maoris, who are wanted. Hence the armed force in the Waikato. The contractor for the rations for the Armed Constabulary residing in Cambridge has been bound by his agreement to supply at any time three days’ emergency rations.” This obviously means that Mr Bryce intends applying to Tawhiao, Te Kooti, and Winiata the same treatment which he awarded TeWhiti, Tohu, and Hiroki. The reason why this step is contemplated just now is alleged to be that—“ The Hon. Mr Bryce was much annoyed that his two missions to the King soliciting an interview proved a failm-e.” It pointed out that, of course, this implied that Mr Bryce is desirous of plunging the colony into a tremendous wav to avenge a personal slight to himself. As it happens, however, there is not a syllable of truth in “the yarn.” In the first place as I telegraphed some days ago, Mr Bryce has not sent “one mission to the Kino-,” much less two, but, on the contrary, flatly refused to authorise even any verbal message to be delivered on his behalf to Tawhaio, much as one officious old chief pressed for permission to bear it. Secondly, the proceedings thus sketched would involve the most serious struggle the colony has yet seen, and there is “not the slightest intention on the part of the Government to precipitate such a disaster cm the colony. No doubt the colony will be surveyed, all murderers arrested in good time, but that time is still distant, ihe report is obviously a canard invented for political purposes, for the benefit more particularly of the Northern Natives and the Southern members, in order to irritate both against the Government.

Late cablegrams state that one of the Eton College boys who pummelled the would-be assassin M'Lean, and for which he received the special thanks of her Majesty, is a son of Sir Samuel Wilson.— The thief who stole Cowper’s celebrated picture “ The Monarch of the Meadows” from the House at Lancaster Gates has been sentenced to imprisonment for seven years. A bookseller, D. Atkins, who was charged with receiving the picture, knowing it to be • stolen' property; was acquitted.—The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council have declared that the natural daughter of the late Mr Rhodes;, Wellington; New Zealand, is entitled; as residuary legatee, to upwards of £300,000 —A large body of Tunisian insurgents surprised a column of French troops, and killed 100. The Nautical Almanac gives notice of a total eclipse of the sun to take place on September Bth, 1885, visible in New Zealand, three and a half years to come.