The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1884.

Kumara Times, Issue 2392, 29 April 1884, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1884.

Our cablegrams state that a terrible railway acbident has occurred at Ciudad Real, a town of Spain, capital of the province of the same name, which is situated on a plain between the rivers Guadiauannd Jabalon, about 100 miles south of Madrid. Whilst a train was crossing the bridge over the Guadiana, the bridge and the train were precipitated into the river. Many passengers were killed, and a large number were seriously injured. The catastrophe was supposed to bo caused by the revolutionary party. It seems but too true that the beleaguered Egyptian garrison at Berber has had to follow in the wake of those of Sinkat and Tokar, and to save their own lives, profess friendship to the rebel followers of El Mahdi by mutinying against the Governor and officers, and fraternising with the rebel Arabs. Information to this effect has reached Cairo, and also that the townspeople of Berber, being now without protection, are taking refuge or flight. Intending passengers who may wislx to inako the tour of thu South Sea Islands in the Union Company’s steamship Wairarapa, are reminded that they must book with the local agents not later than the Ist of May, which is next Thursday. 1 bily a limited number of passengers will >n and :>s r l l e j" u i:cv is made durra.; h ddv : ra the season, the trip should ue a very pleasant one.

R. J. Seddon, Esq., M.H.R. notifies his intention of addressing the electors at Hillman’s Town on Thursday evening next, at 8 o’clock.

In consequence of an outbreak of diptheria in the Paroa district, the local school has been closed for the present. Commander Edwin wired urgent yesterday afternoon as follows -.—“ Bad weather may be expected after 12 hours from between north-east and north to west. After 16 hours sea heavy and glass will continue to fall.” The Grey River Argus this morning reports:—“The steamer Oreti left the wharf last night at about 9.30, her destination being Hokitika. About half-an-hour afterwards it was reported that she was on shore, and that the tug Dispatch had gone to render assistance. Upon inquiring again, however, at 12.30 this morning, the Dispatch had returned to the wharf and the Oreti was said to be stranded on the North Spit. It is expected that she will be got off this morning. The mishap may be partly accounted for by the heavy sea and bar silting.” It appears (says the Reefton Times of Friday last) that there was a rather serious to do at Boatman’s on Monday (21st inst.) in connection with the imbroglio now going on between the Just-in-Time and Fiery Cross companies, revolvers having been imported into the affray which took place at the battery that night. Although, however, threats were freely used on all sides there was fortunately no resort to unwonted violence. The conflict between the companies still proceeds, but we are unable to say what stage it has reached, but it is to be hoped that neither side will suffer an appeal to lawlessness for a settlement of the dispute. The Reefton Local School Committee are evidently determined to stand by their privileges, says the Times of the 25th inst. At a meeting of the Committee held last night, it was carried, with only one dissentient voice : “ That the Committee are determined to close the Reefton State School, on the 2nd of May next, if the Central Board persist in sending A. Burnham to be head-master, and that the Board be requested to reply by noon of Friday next.” As it is to be little doubted that the Central Board will not give way, the question for heads of families will shortly be “ What shall we do with our boys?” A somewhat similar difficulty arose with the School Committee at Charleston, a few years ago. In that case, however, the local committee, refusing to accept the selection -of the Central Board, appointed another master, and after carrying on the school for five or six months, had in the end to pay the second master’s salary out of their own pockets. Parents offered no objection whatever to this course, and doubtless it will be hailed by heads of families here as much more preferable to closing the school. Lyttelton can claim to be the model borough of the colony. Its general rate of 9d in the pound includes lighting and scavengering.

A writer in the Timaru Herald says that some teetotallers are surprised to hear that there is more alcohol in a pot of jam than in two or three bottles of beer. Green’s “ High Alps of Hew Zealand ” has been most favorably reviewed by the Pall Mall Gazette, which strongly advices blase travellers on the look-out for “fresh fields and pastures new ” to explore the strange and beautiful wonderland amid the mountains and sounds of the West Coast of New Zealand. The British Government, it is stated, will submit an estimate for the netf statue of the Duke of Wellington. The old one will, it is believed, be melted down. According to the prophetic Zaclkiel, the Brftish Government next month are to be “ nearly overthrown.” The export of diamonds in Natal during the last four months of 1883 amounted to 729,000 carats, valued at nearly £1,000,000. At Panama, men continue to arrive by every vessel for the canal. company. The number now employed exceeds 14,000. Dr. Shapira, whose name will be remembered in connection with the offering for sale in England of an alleged manuscript of a portion of the Old Testament, has committed suicide in Rotterdam. After the complete exposure of the affair—a brief examination of the manuscript by the authorities of the British Museum having sufficed to show that the parchment for which Shapira demanded one million pounds was a clumsy forgery—he came to Holland, living successively in Amsterdam and Bloemendal, and finally '.ii Rotterdam, where he took a room in a hotel. His dead body was found lying

on the floor, beside it being a six-cham-bered revolver, a shot from which had penetrated his brain. The unfortunate man’s conduct had been very strange for some time, and the Schiedam police arrested him recently on suspicion of insanity. Shapira was a naturalised German, and had his home in Jerusalem, where his wife and child are living.