The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1882.

Kumara Times, Issue 1731, 18 April 1882, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1882.

The latest new* from the Woodstock Rush is that Curtis and party r and Buna and party, hav& ob*aaa«d what is estimated to be payable wash. The prospect* of Gibbs and party axe also ii»pKwiia'>

The departure of the steamer Alharabra from West Coast ports for Melbourne is deferred till to-morrow. The local Hospital Committee will hold their usual fortnightly meeting at the Secretary's room at eight o'clock this evening. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Ross, on Saturday, before Dr. Giles, R.M., G. Ashley was charged, on the information of C. M'Alister with an assault. The Times reports that the complainant after getting into the witness-box objected to be swern, unless on the Roman Catholic bible. His Worship said that unless complainant consented to be sworn on the bible before him, he could stand down, as it was the only one provided by the law. The complainant did stand down and the case was struck out. A short time since the ship Phasis, which arrived at Lyttelton from Calcutta, brought a boat's crew—the captain, second officer, and ten men—that the master of the Phasis had picked up at sea. They had belonged to a Dutch ship named the Alblasserwaard, which took fire, and they had been compelled to abandon her. From their report the other boat's crew had not been heard from, but the following, taken from a Montrose (Scotland) paper, announces the arrrival of the missing boat at Cape Town. There were, therefore, no lives lost:—"Cape Town, January 15th.—The Alblasserward, from Shields for Batavia, was abandoned on fire November 28th, in latitude 35° 5' N., 80° E. Part of the crew saved by the U.S. barque Caprera, and afterwards landed here by British ship Titania. Eleven of crew are known to be safe. Nothing known of remainder captain, second officer, and ten men." The news of the arrival here of the captain and men had clearly not reached the Cape at the time the above was written. During 1881, 239 persons of 75 years of age and upwards died in the city of Melbourne and suburbs. Of this number 104 were between 75 and 80, 88 between 80 and 85, 32 between 85 and 90,12 between 90 and 95 ; and three were aged respectively 96, 99, and 103 years. Of these old people, the majority appear to be made np of those working in the open air; as, of the occupations specified, laborers, gardeners, farmers, and hawkers head the list. Curiously enough, blacksmiths and miners occupy a prominent place also, which goes to show that hard work is not unfavorable to longevity. Of the 239, 119 were males and 120 females. The railroad up Vesuvius cost £72,000, and it takes £4OOO a year to maintain it. Nevertheless, the Frenchmen who put the money into it expect to get it all back in fifteen years, and for the other fifteen covered by the lease of right of way there is to be a profit. At the upper terminus of the road there is a good restaurant.