The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1885.

Kumara Times, Issue 2825, 21 October 1885, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1885.

An inquest was held at the Maori School House yesterday morning, before J. Giles, Esq., Coroner, and a jury of six, over the body of Ihaia Tainui. The jury found that the deceased committed suicide by hanging, whilst in a state of temporary insanity.

The Supreme Court, Hokitika, was occupied all yesterday in hearing the case of Francis Ransom Seaborn, charged with, embezzling, between the dates of the 2nd and 20th February last, the funds of the Government Life Insurance Association, to the amount of £6 3s 6d. The evidence was much the same as given in the lower Court, and published by us. Counsel for the accused stated that the prisoner had not been guilty of fraudulent embezzlement ; he charged himself with the money in the depositor's receipt book. He would not have forwarded to the Government a full list of all the proposals received (as he did) if he had any intention of fraudulently appropriating the money. The jury retired at 4.45 p.m., returning to Court at 5.50 with a verdict of not guilty. The accused was then discharged. This concluded the criminal business, and the Court then adjourned until 10 a. m. to-day. The Christchurch coach arrived this afternoon at the usual hour. The agent at Dillman's has received only a few tickets by the Christchurch coach on the Robin Hood programme, so that as the drawing will take place next week, early application should be made. Commander Edwin wired at 12.42 p, m .—"Indications of glass falling after ten hours, and strong winds between north-east and north and west." Tenderers for felling, grubbing, and draining a piece of ground on the Borough Reserve, are informed that the ground is now fully marked and ready for inspection, and that the tenders will positively close on Thursday next, the 22nd instant. A Hokitika evening paper understands that "Mr Treloar, who has edited the West Coast Times for the last ten years, is no longer connected with that journal. He has, we believe, been succeeded in the editorial chair by Mr L. Northcroft, one of the proprietors of the paper." The Grey River Argus remarks —"Hokitika must be on the down-hill track !" The friends and supporters of Thomas O'Loughlin meet to-night at Jones's Hotel, for the purpose of presenting him with a memento to mark the esteem in which they hold him for his straightforwardness of character and the pluck he has always shown in his pedestrian contests. Concerning Hunt's challenge, the Argus states that, "as might have been expected, Hunt's challenge has created a flutter amongst Tommy's friends. They are as ready as ever to back their man against Hunt, but they object to him dictating the distances and leaving the event to be decided by two out of three.

They are afraid that if the time given is correct—which there is very little doubt it is—of Hunt's performances at Dunedin, then at those distances he is too fast for O'Loughlin. But they are considering a proposal for a match at six distances — say from 100 yards up to 600. So far nothing has been decided, and in the meantime Hunt can extract what gratification he pleases from the title ' Champion of New Zealand.'"