The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1883.

Kumara Times, Issue 2114, 8 June 1883, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1883.

Cablegrams to-day state that the unallotted shares in the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company were placed in the London market, meeting with ready and satisfactory sale.—The Queen's health is much improved consequent on the change to her Majesty's Highland home at Balmoral.—ln accordance with the usual custom to return to St. Petersburg in a fortnight after being crowned at Moscow, the Czar and Court will proceed Lo the Imperial residence at Peterhof to-morrow. This palace is situate on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, 15 miles west of St. Petersburg, and was built by Peter the Great in 1711. It contains a fine collection of paintings, and is surrounded by a beautiful park. The town had a population (in 1867) of 7745 inhabitants.—The Ascot Cup was Avon by Tristan. The ordinary meeting of the Borough Council, which had been twice adjourned from the previous Thursday, last evening lapsed for want of a quorum. It will be remembered that prior to Sergeant Emerson leaving Kumara, a handsome testimonial, taking the form of a gold watch, was subscribed for him by residents of the town and district. But before receiving any such public token of esteem and respect the sergeant stated that the sanction of the head of the Department at Wellington would have to be obtained ere it could be lawfully permitted to be received by him. Yesterday J. O'Hagan, Esq. (late Mayor of Kumara) received the long-looked-for reply to his communications asking for permission to be so given, of which the following is a CO py :_"The Hon. the Defence Minister has approved of Sergeant Emerson receiving tlitt jA-oSvui, biibseribod by Kuuiara

residents.—H. E. Reader." In a few I days, therefore, we may expect to have the gratification of hearing from Sergt. Emerson that the welcome gift, which has been forwarded to him, has been duly received. We have received from the Government Printer the "Report of the Joint Committee on Messrs Brogden's Claims, with Appendices." It comprises lengthy reports, minutes of evidence, and tabulated statements filling 204 pages folio foolscap, or Gazette size. The result seems to show that out of a total sum of £852,140 7s 2d due to Messrs Brogden and Sons for railway construction in Auckland, Napier, Waitara, Moeraki, Taieri, and Invercargill, £851,552 2s lid has been paid to that firm, leaving a balance due of £SBB 4s 3d, on which interest had accrued between the 17th April, 1877, and 28th February, 1879, of £llO Is 4d, being a total of £698 5s 7d. Mr and Mrs Blake took their departure by the coach this morning for Christchurch. Messrs Nancarrow and Taylor, of Greymouth, also were passengers ; they proceed thither, we understand, in connection with the recent Central Board election. At the District Court, Hokitika, yesterday, before his Honor Judge Broad, in bankruptcy, the Times reports, an order was obtained by Mr Purkiss on behalf of Louis Ziegler, a debtor, declaring a deed of assignment completely executed. James Coyle, an infant 22 days old, was suffocated in bed at Hokitika on Wednesday afternoon. The mother was absent for half-an-hour, and on her return found the child dead. Dr Rosetti was sent for, but he failed to restore animation. An inquest was held yesterday, the jury returning a verdict in accordance with the evidence. The trial of John Davidson and Mary Grammatica, for the murder, of Denis Quinlan at Lyell on the 29th January last, will take place on Friday next the 15th inst. Eighteen witnesses have been already subpoenaed by the Crown, and it is likely that several more will receive notice to appear before the day of the trial. The Lyell Times learns that the police are in possession of a few additional particulars to those elicited in the Resident Magistrate's Court. The Buller County overdraft at the Bank of New South Wales was at the end of the financial year £2933 17s 2d, as against £3902 8s on the 31st March, 1882, which is a reduction of £968 16s lOd. We (Inangahua Times) learn from a private letter received by a gentleman in town that Mr A. A. S. Menteath, formerly manager of the National Bank, Reefton, passed his final examination, and was called to the English bar on the 18th April last. Mr Menteath sailed from London for New Zealand, in May last, and will reach Reefton early next month, He will settle in practice in Reefton.—[ln 1877 Mr Menteath was agent of the National Bank in Kumara.] Three long-sentenced prisoners from Dunedin for Lyttelton, passed through Timaru by the express train on Saturday afternoon, in charge of two warders. One was Massey, ex-Town Clerk of Dunedin ; a second, Sullivan, sentenced for rape near Invercargill; and the name of the third we (Timaru Herald) could not ascertain.