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Kumara Times, Issue 2358, 19 March 1884, Page 2

The long-pending reply of the Government relative to the question of the price of water on this goldfield and the inquiry as to the management of the sludge-channel is at last soon to be known. It appears that Mr Dungan, County Chairman, and who also holds the position of President of the Miners Association, considering the silence on the part of the Minister of Mines rather long, broke the ice again yesterday by forwarding to Mr Rolleston the following message:— To the Hon. the Minister of Mines, Wellington. Would you kindly say, for information of County Council and miners of Kumara, whether the Government have come to decision relative to inquiry in price of water and management of sludge-channel, Kumara ; and, if so, would you oblige by letting Council know what the result is. P. Dungan, County Chairman. Hokitika, March 18, 1884. To which the following reply was received, also yesterday : To the Chairman Westland County Council. Yes ; letter posted, forwarding report of Warden and Mr Gordon, and giving decision. W. Rolleston. Wellington, March 18, 1884. So far the anxiety of the miners on this field will be relieved ; but the coining documents, which may probably arrive by this afternoon’s coach, will be eagerly scanned when we are enabled to put them into print.

The second jury in the arson case against Hughes and Maloney retired (as we reported yesterday) at three o’clock in the afternoon, to consider their verdict. At half-past eight the foreman told the Court that there was no chance of the jury agreeing. His Honor said he was very sorry; but he was unable to discharge them until twelve hours had elapsed from the time of their retirement. It seemed a pity in cases like this, where there was really no chance,of the jury agreeing, that some discretion was not left to the Court, However, he would discharge them at half-past eight the following (this) morning. The Court then adjourned. The jury were discharged this morning, and it is understood the Judge would order the venue to be changed to Christchurch, where the next trial will take place. The crimimal sittings at Christchurch are appointed to be held on Monday, 7th April. Captain Edwin wired yesterday afternoon, “ Bad weather is expected between north-east to north and west ; sea heavy after sixteen hours, and glass falling after ten hours.” In the Gazette of the 13th inst., received to-day, we find his Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint William Waring de Castro to be Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court at Hokitika, from the Ist April next, vice M. F. South, resigned. And Charles Lloyd Morice is appointed to be Honorary Surgm.n to the G”.?vm. uth Rifle Volunteers ; u vie of commission, 19th February, 1884. Lite s.s. Kennedy arrived at Hokitika yesterday from Kelson. The first white man born in Tasmania has just died. His name was John Mayes. He was born in 1805, at Risdon, his father, Thomas Hayes, being one of

the twelve settlers who accompanied Colonel Collins’ memorable expedition of 1803-4. For the past eighteen years, and until his death, Mr Hayes was a member of the Municipal Council for the Brighton district, and took an active interest in everything pertaining to its welfare. In 1863 he contested the seat for the electorate of Brighton in the house of Assembly, and succeeded in defeating Dr. Henry Butler now Speaker of the Assembly, by some three or four votes. A correspondent informs the Taieri Advocate that the whole of the men engaged on the Deep Stream section of the Otago Central railway struck work last Monday. No particulars are to hand as what caused the strike.

“ Beef tea has become a popular barroom beverage in Omaha,” says the Louisville Courier. “ The demand, which began to be lively in the autumn, has now attained such proportions that the prohibition folk are perfectly delighted. Said a philosophical barkeeper to a reporter the other day ; ‘At first we laughed at the idea of going to the trouble of making it, but now we laugh because we do make it. We sell over 100 drinks per day, and as it is a 15-cent drink, there is no reason why we should not smile. Who drinks it, did you say 1 Why, everybody; the man about town who has been out with the boys comes here in the morning and calls for beef tea ; the business man comes in the afternoon and braces his system with beef tea ; the temperance man who drops in with a bibulous friend takes beef tea ; and, in fact, everybody is becoming a slave to it.’ ”