The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1884.

Kumara Times, Issue 2293, 3 January 1884, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1884.

The New Zealand Tourists' Vade Mecum (or constant companion), a copy of which has been forwarded to us by Messrs Nancarrow and Co., the Greymouth Union Shipping Company agents, is a real handy book for travellers and excursionists ; it is specially prepared for the information and guidance of passengers by the Union Steamship Company's boats, and more especially for the use of tourists, by indicating what there is to be seen of interest in New Zealand, how to occupy the time to most advantage at each port, and the cost of the various routes. It also gives a short description of the principal towns, the population, the principal hotels, clubs, public buildings, places of amusement, and conveyances. A list of tours is appended, in order that some idea may be formed of the time occupied and the probable cost of a trip to and from Australia round New Zealand, or portions only of such an excursion. It is a most handy pocket companion for the voyager or excursionist, or those who " Come abroad to see the world." The Union Company's steamer Mahinapua leaves Dunedin (calling at Oamaru, Lyttelton, and Wellington) to-day. Canon B. F. Westcott, of Peterborough, preached the sermon at the consecration of Dr. Alfred Barry to the Metropolitan See of Sydney, and, in referring to the ceremony, expatiated upon the peculiar fitness of Dr. Barry for the office to which he had been chosen. Mr H. A. Gordon, Mining Engineer, left Wellington on Monday last for the West Coast, where he will be occupied for two months reporting upon the various road and mining works. A fifth share in M'Glone and party's double-area sluicing claim at Larrikins is for sale. It is in full working order, with No. 4 right into the sludge-chauuel. A cricket match was played between Greymouth and Briumer on Saturday last and resulted in a victory for the former by five wickets. The Brunner team made 37 and 68, towards which J. Malcolm contributed the large number of 30, and Smith 15. The Grey team was most strongly represented by Clements, with 40, not out, and M'Davitt 28. A cricket match is to be played shortly at Nelson between a Greymouth and Brunner team and a Nelson eleven. The Grey cricketers will leave on Friday next f<>v Xfl:snn, where tlioy expect to play the Kelson Club ou Monday.

la the interprovincial cricket match Wellington v. Nelson, Nelson in their first innings got 55, and Wellington 30 only. Eventually Nelson won by 39 runs. ■The cricket match between Auckland and Canterbury was won by the Auckland team with four wickets to spare. It certainly comes like an echo from the past (writes "iEgles" in the Australasian) to hear that Mr F. N. Crouch, the composer of " Kathleen Mavourneen," ia still alive. It is painful to hear that he is old and poor, with a poor old wife. It is pleasant to hear that a generous American has taken them into his house and provided for their remaining days. And it is almost maddening (to an Irishman) to learn that the composer of this Hibernian air is an Anglo-Saxon. There were no less than 78 applications for the masterships of the Greymouth School, there being 51 for the head mastership and 27 for the second. A madman named White, on Monday last, entered the Roman Catholic Chapel at No Town and destroyed the altar and otherwise desecrated the building. It appears that White is subject to periodical fits of insanity. He was brought down to Greymouth yesterday, and lodged in the lock-up there. Mr Whitefoord, R.M., proceeded to Waiau last Friday to hold an inquest touching the sudden decease of Roderick M'Kay, who was supposed to have committed suicide by poisoning.