The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1885.

Kumara Times, Issue 2770, 7 August 1885, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1885.

The Warden’s Court was opened at ten o’clock this morning, and after hearing several applications, the suit O’Neill and party v. Bourke and party, in which .£llsO were claimed as damages for encroachment was heard. The evidence of the plaintiffs occupied the Court till 1.5 p.m., when the Warden, Dr. Giles, adjourned the Court till 2 p.m. On resuming, the Warden announced that ho would visit the ground, and proceeded at that hour to do so, and adjourned the Court till his return. Mr D. Hannan appeared for the plaintiff’s ; Mr Purkiss for defendants. The latter was addressing the Court when we went to press, 4.30 p.m. The inquiry into the cause of dismissal of Dr. Monckton, late Surgeon-Superin-tendent of the Hospital, and the appointment of Dr. Davy to that position, is to be hold at the Court House at seven o’clock this evening. The time for receiving tenders for the supply and delivery of props, caps, sills, laths, for the construction of No. 2 sludge-channel, and also for sinking a shaft on channel in Borlasc and party’s claim is extended to Thursday next, the 13th inst. Specifications are now ready, and may be seen at either Mr J. S. Pearu’s, or Mr R. J. Seddon’s. Tenders must be addressed to the contractors Messrs John W. Martin and Co.

Commander Edwin wired'at 2.51 p.m. to-day—“ Indications of glass fall within 12 hours, and heavy winds between northeast and north and west after that time.” Reuben Waite died in the Nelson Hospital on Sunday morning last. The deceased was returning to Westport from Wellington, where he had been to urge his claims for recognition of his public usefulness as a West Coast pioneer, and.

when he got as far as Nelson, was compelled (says the Westport Times), to enter the Hospital there ; and on Sunday morning his long and active life came to an end. Twenty-four years have passed since Reuben Waite first made his way down the Coast—then a terra incognita—and he has resided here, with short intervals, ever since. The Nelson Mail of Monday last remarks :—“ An old settler, an intrepid pioneer, and the discoverer of the West Coast goldfields passed away from amongst us yesterday morning. A quarter of a century ago Reuben Waite came down here from Victoria, and, together with a few other miners from the same place, chartered a little ketch and sailed down the Coast, then scarcely known at all, to the Duller. They were successful, and the news of their good luck quickly spread, and very soon there was a large population in the Duller Valley rooting up the beaches and tearing up the terraces, from which they took considerable quantities of gold. From thence Reuben traveled to the other West Coast districts, Hokitika and the Grey, and then back again to the Duller, but he never did much for himself, being of too restless a disposition to be a successful man. For some years past he has kept an accommodation house near the Inangahua Junction but a few days ago he was compelled to come up to Nelson for medical treatment in the Hospital where he died at an early hour yesterday morning, at the age of 62. He was of a generous disposition, and there are many who are now far better off than was poor old Reuben at the time of his death who are indebted to him for holding out a helping hand when their fortunes were at low ebb.”

Messrs Girdwood, Lahman and Co. will sell by auction, on Monday next, at the Preston Yards, Greymouth, fat cattle, grand cross-bred wethers, and porkers.

Yet another account reaches us of the way in which General Gordon met with his death. It is the story of a refugee who had reached Assouan ; it is said to be not very credible :‘ £ When the Mahdi’s people were all in the town, Gordon ran down to the river, probably intending to push off in a boat, but he was caught by several of the Arabs, who told him he must either acknowledge the Mahdi or be killed. On his refusal they killed him with their swords, and his head was stuck up in the streets for five days, each Arab as he passed pulling a bit of hair out and spitting in his face.” What is more probable is the refugee’s statement that the privation in Khartoum was so great that after they had finished all the horses and donkeys Gordon served out gum and palm tree pith to chew. In person the late El Mahdi was described as being tall and slim, with a rather light brown complexion and a black beard. From the success which has generally followed on most of his undertakings, he was a man of uncommon natural ability, though unscrupulous at all times, and tyrannical whenever he had the opportunity. By his death the greatest obstacle to the final settlement of the Soudan question has been removed.

The progress of science during the last hundred years is receiving a practical illustration just now at New York, off Port Morris. In 1780 the British frigate Hussar sank at the spot with a million sterling on board, which was to have been used for paying arrears due to the British troops. A few unsuccessful attempts have been made from time to time to recover the money, but it is only quite lately that the full resources of science have been turned to the task. The Hussar is under ninety feet of water, and is covered by a mass of mud and stone to a depth of some sixty feet. When all this has been drilled through, there is to be an elaborate arrangement of suction pipes, powerful enough to draw up stones four inches thick, and if these fail, a large pipe five feet in diameter, will be sunk to tbe true bottom of the river for men to work in. The Inevitable Company—the “Treasure Trove Company”—which has the job in hand look confidently to “ strike gold ” at an early date.

Good Resolutions. —At the commencement of every new year hundreds and thousands of our young men—and old as well —form resolutions for their guidance for the coming year. Many keep them, while others break them. To such we wish to give a word of advice. In order to sustain your determination of leading a better life in future you should use Hop Bitters. The judicious use of Hop Bitters strengthens, cleanses, and purifies the stomach, bowels, blood, liver, nerves, and kidneys, and is just what you want to build up and invigorate yourself.—Greenbush, U.S.A., Dem. Read.

The Tidy Housewife. —The careful, tidy housewife, when giving her house its spring cleaning, should bear in mind that the dear inmates are more precious than houses, their systems need cleansing by purifying the blood, regulating the stomach and bowels, and she should know that there is nothing that will do it so surely as American Co.’s Hop Bitters, the purest and best of all medicines.