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Kumara Times, Issue 2298, 9 January 1884, Page 2

Storms, accompanied by thunder and lightning of a most vivid description, were incessant from 12 midnight to 2.20 this morning. The rain has probably interfered with the movements of the coaches from the Bealey. The one which was due here 1.30 this afternoon did not leave the Bealey till 12 noon, and cannot therefore be expected till after nine o'clock to-night. The Kumara Hospital Committee are requested to attend a special meeting at the Town Hall this (Wednesday) evening, at S o'clock, on business of great importance, the chief being concerning Dr. Porter's resignation. The delegates recently appointed by'the Societies are also requested to attend, at 9 o'clock. The art of producing ornamental needlework patterns upon fabrics of any kind is coeval with the earliest and rudest of manufactures ; and has been practised by all classes, from princesses down to pauper school-girls, from time immemorial. The art is now also carried on in large manufactories by very elaborate machinery. The Chinese are perhaps the most laborious and elaborate of hand-embroid-erers of modern times ; their best work is upon silk. Occasionally we meet with some very unique specimens of embroidery, beautifully executed, in our modern domestic circles, young ladies often exhibiting superior excellence in the art, with only a very small amount of instruction. It has been our pleasure to see a magnificent specimen of this kind of industry at the shop of Mrs Lowe, in Main street, who deals in all kinds of liiiit-jriiil fur fancy needlework. It is a chair ousluw, with tyses, puuuigs, s,uqw.

drops, bleeding heart, bellaconia, immor- ] telle (or everlasting) flowers, with leaves, admirably worked in embroidery silk on the best black silk velvet. It is the work of Mrs Lowe herself, a widow lady who five summers ago passed the three-score-and-ten " days-of-our-years," and who, without any artificial aid to her sight, has produced an article which would be an ornament for any drawing-room Ladies and connoiseurs in such articles would do well to pay Mrs Lowe a visit and see this extraordinary specimen of old-age skill ere the article goes to its intended destination. The Westport correspondent of the Greymouth Star yesterday telegraphed the following concerning the Mokihinui new alluvial gold discovery :—" Carson and party, who have been prospecting in the Upper Mokihinui district for some months past, arrived in town to-day with 17 ounces of alluvial gold, the result of twelve days' work, including nuggets ranging from 4ozs. sdwts. downwards. The locality where the gold was got is equi-distant the Mokihinui reef and Lyell. A man can walk from the Red Queen Company's mine with a 501 b. load to the locality in a day. Thirty men are now on the ground. No work has yet been done in any but the prospectors' claim, so the value of the discovery cannot be stated." A Gazette notice contains the information that the services of Mr T. L. Shepherd as Clerk of the Court at Ahaura have been dispensed with. The funeral of the late James Gifford, so cruelly murdered last Saturday evening, took place yesterday at Greymouth, the mournful procession being one of the largest in the district. All Maori Creek was at the funeral, and every available vehicle in the district -was in use. The funeral service was delivered by the Rev. Mr Westbrook in a most impressive manner, and not a few who listened had moist eyes on the occasion. Several rumors in respect to Donohue, arrested for the murder of James Gifford, were current yesterday. One is that the hat which was found near the body is recognised as Donohue's by the paint mark imprinted on it some months ago. Donohue, it is said, appears to be in his ordinary mood ; he is cheerful and communicative, and takes his food with all the relish of a healthy man with an undisturbed mind. Yesterday, John White, the desecrator in the Roman Catholic chapel No Town, was charged before Mr Stratford with the destruction of the church property. The Rev. Father Rolland, who said the church was in his charge and the property vested in him, gave evidence as to the character and number of the articles destroyed. He valued the total damage at £lB lis 6d. Nearly all the articles he mentioned had been rendered valueless. Prisoner was committed to take his trial at the next sitting of the District Court to be held at Greymouth on the 21st inst. He was brought to Kumara last evening, and forwarded to Hokitika Gaol by this morning's coach. White was also accompanied from Greymouth and to Hokitika by a lunatic named Patrick Conners, from Reefton, whose aberration takes the form of a belief that he has committed murder and is awaiting execution. He broke away some days ago from his mates, and despite all efforts could not be induced to return to his home at Boatman's. He is supposed to have £7l deposited in the Geelong Savings Bank since 1874. In 1881 he was working for a mining company at Hindon, Otago. He was yesterday brought before Mr Stratford, charged with lunacy, and as there was no doubt about the matter, he was committed to the Lunatic Asylum at Hokitika.