The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1884.

Kumara Times, Issue 2303, 15 January 1884, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1884.

Storms of wind and ravin were frequent early this morning. Several chimneys were blown down, as was also the parapet in front of the shop occupied by Mrs Lowe, Main street. Quinn’s Creek at Arahnra was high, with a strong current, insomuch that Mr Bassett’s coach, bringing the Hokitika morning mail hither, was near being carried away. As it was the horses and coach went over the fall at the side of the road, and, bur for the timely and energetic assistance of a number ..f Maoriv. ho i .-h-ase-l the horses and. dragged, Uie wash on to the bank

again, a serious loss to the coach proprietor would have been the result. As it was the journey was resumed, and the mails delivered after only about an hour and a-half’s loss of time. The telegraph lines north and south were working badly, and the linemen are out in all directions. Captain Edwin wired yesterday afternoon to expect bad weather from any direction between north-east and north and west, glass to further fall and within six hours considerable and increasing sea and gale ; glass rising after ten hours. Notice is now again given that an election for one councillor to fill an extraordinary vacancy in the Borough Council of Kumara will be held on Wednesday, the 6th February. Nominations will be received by the Returning Officer (Mr A. Skilton) on or before Thursday, 24th inst., at noon. We have received from the Postmaster the Postal and Telegraph Guide for the quarter commencing January, 1884. It contains the new Time-Table of Dates of Arrival and Departure of English mails via San Francisco, 1884, which are approved for six months only ; an alteration may be made from May-Junenext. Attention is directed to amended regulations governing the delivery of telegrams; these we printed in full last Friday. Gentlemen favourable to the establishment of a cosmopolitan brass band in this district are respectfully invited to attend a meeting to be held in the Town Hall, this evening, at 8 o’clock. The four men charged with having assaulted a Chinaman at Maori Creek were brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Greymouth, yesterday, but in consequence of the murder case, the assault case was adjourned until Wednesday next, defendants being bound over to appear at that time. The Wanganui Chronicle of Friday, the 4th inst., says :—“ Severe thunderstorms passed over various parts of this coast yesterday, and did damage in several localities. At Marion the electric fluid entered the telegraph office, tore all the wires from the test-board, fused them like wax, scorched the whole face of the testboard, and spoiled the lightning guards. Shortly after the accident Mr Baker (the Postmaster) entered the office and found it filled with smoke. The telegraph lines between Marton and Wanganui, and between Bulls and Sanson were damaged. Near Tnrakina about half-a-dozen poles were shattered inte splinters. Last night a thunderstorm passed over -Wanganui, each flash of lightning and peal of thunder being followed by a violent hailstorm.” The “ big gooseberry season ” has made a very fair commencement this year. Mr Martin, of Stoke, has left at the Nelson Mail office two fine specimens of this species of fruit, which together turn the scale at an ounce and three-quarters.