The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 1884.

Kumara Times, Issue 2375, 8 April 1884, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 1884.

The Pacific Mail steamship Australia arrived at Auckland from San Francisco at nine o’clock on Sunday night, one day late, having left Sun Francisco three days after her appointed time of sailing. She brings the British, European, and American mails; also 30,000 trout ova from California for the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. On the cases being examined, the whole consignment was found worthless. The ova was found well packed, and it is supposed want of attention on board the vessel caused the failure.

Dr. Grabham, who has been to Hokitika to report upon the sanity or otherwise of the convict Donohue, arrived here by coach last evening, and resumed his journey overland by the Christchurch coach this morning. Whether the result of Dr. Grabham’s interview with the culprit will be to pronounce him sane or insane will not, of course, transpire until he delivers his report to the Government ; but we have reason to believe that he has expressed his opinion that Donohue is a man who had, or has, homicidal tendencies. Whether this bare statement will result in staying the execution of the sentence of the Court is a matter of uncertainty and doubt. It is, however, a most extraordinary course of procedure, after the question of sanity was raised and a jury was empaneled specially for the purpose of trying his fitness or otherwise to plead guilty or not guilty of the crime of which he was charged, that the unanimous opinion of that jury, after having been acted upon, should be possibly set aside by the opinion of one Government referee. An accident befel a boy at Larrikins yesterday afternoon. His name is William Barrowman, and he is about five years of age. Having obtained permission to meet his father Mr Moses Barrowman, as he came home from his work, as was his wont, at about five o’clock, the boy proceeded along a track which skirts the face of a claim known as Morgan and party’s claim, which is next to his father’s claim. The ground gave way just as he came to a part where there was an old shaft part washed away. He slipped down with the debris some 16 to 20 feet, and then fell down the shaft another 20 feet. The boy’s cries were heard by Mrs Patsey Caldwell; the alarm was raised ; and his father went down the shaft. He found the boy on his feet, crying of course, but with his hat in his hand. He was soon rescued from his perilous position and taken home, apparently none the worse for his extraordinary fall. Dr. Monckton was, however, sent for, who pronounced that apparently no bones were broken ; and to-day we learn that except a scrape on the top of the head about the size of a sixpence, and a scratch, no other injury seems to have been sustained.

Mr Frederick Marshall, late Secretary to the Kumara Miners Association, left by tram this morning for Greymouth, where he intends to join the steamer Wallabi, which is advertised to leave at five o’clock this evening for Wanganui. It is Mr Marshall’s intention to make for the Te Aroha goldfield. He had a good claim here at Larrikins, but the everlasting disputes about the mode of working the sludge-channel, to which his party’s claim tail-race was connected, together with the unsatisfactory replies of the Government with regard to the vexed question of the price of water on this goldfield, in which as Secretary to the Association he had taken a very active

part in trying to get the price reduced, and its consequent interference with his daily avocation, caused him to abandon what was really a good-paying claim, and he offered his interest for £2oo—a price at which his mates readily agreed to purhase it from him. Mr Marshall made a very good and energetic secretary, and it will be some time before a successor is found having the interests of the Association so much at heart.

The bridge across the Inangahua river at its junction with the Buffer river has at length been completed and opened for traffic. The bridge is one of the best of the kind on the West Coast, It is nearly four hundred yards in length, and its elevation above the mean summer level of the river is close upon fifty feet. The bridge has been rather over twelve months in course of erection, and its cost approaches to £IO,OOO. The return cricket match Westland v. Grey is to be played at Hokitika on Good Friday. The Grey cricketers are to leave at Ip.m. on Thursday, by Mr Adam Blair’s coach; their names are : Messrs Guinness, A. Malcolm, Matheson, J. Malcolm, Adams, Foy, Perkins (sen.), H. Perkins, Murphy, Clements, and Fricker. The Hokitika team will be chosen from the following players :—Absolum, Boddington, Bowen, George Cooke, Daly, Debenham, Greville, Hansen, B. Housely, W. Housely, H. Levy, Lynch, M‘Kay, North, Northcroft, Oliver, and Tennant.

The Union Company’s steamer Mahinapua left Greymouth for Wellington direct last evening, with a number of passengers. The Grafton, which arrived at Greymouth yesterday, bought five racehorses— Hero, Liability, Early Bird, Lady Grey, and another.

Mr Spence (of Wade and Spence, auctioneers) submitted to public auction today, on the ground, at Larrikins, Robert Morgan and party’s double-area sluicing claim, six men’s ground, together with the plant, consisting of about 200 ft. iron pipi n £b giant nozzle, crane, trucks, six sets of wheels, flaming, tail-race, boxes, &c. The price realised was £5lO. Mr William Morris was the purchaser.

Diptheria having made its appearance at Stafford, a public meeting was held on Friday night, at which the following resolutions were carried :—(1.) “ In consequence of diphtheria having broken out in this district, the attention of the County Council be drawn to the very unsatisfactory state of drainage in Stafford, and water closets overflowing emitting offensive odours detrimental to the public health.” (2.) “That in order to prevent the continuance of the present dangerous and disgraceful state of affairs, the County Council be requested to appoint a competent Inspector of Nuisances.”

The Engineer states there is reason to believe that the tonnage of steamships built in England in 1883 is the largest on record. It fears, however, that it has been in excess of the real requirements of the trades, and that there will be a considerable falling off in 1884.

A fair audience patronised Miss Georgie Smithson’s entertainment at the Theatre Royal last evening. There were several changes in the performance, and the fair artiste seems deservedly to gain in favour every time she appears. The applause was almost continuous.