The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1886.

Kumara Times, Issue 2908, 23 February 1886, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1886.

There was a full attendance again at Holy Trinity Church last evening to listen to the ministrations of the Rev. G. E. Mason, one of the two Missioners who came to the Coast to endeavour to promote a revival of religion. If the increased attendance at each successive evening service can be taken as evidence of the success of his labours and of the spreading enthusiasm in the ministrations of the reverend gentleman, then it must be admitted that he has been eminently successful; and we are sure that if he had remained here another fortnight he would have had a large congregation each night, such eagerness was there evinced by those who had attended previously to hear him again and again. In accordance with the

published notices the Mission of these reverend clergymen terminated last night, and both took their departure from the Coast by the Christchurch coach this morning. During his stay in Kumara, the Rev. Mr Mason was the guest of Messrs Davidson Bros. The Rev. Mr Hodgson, the new Anglican clergyman, has since his arrival been the guest of Mr R. Hobbs,

Mr Wood, of Christchurch, in the Wesleyan Church last evening, gave a most amusing sketch of “ Some popular Yorkshire evangelists ” he has known. There was a good attendance, and those present returned home highly pleased with the discourse.

The mail coach this morning for Christchurch had a full complement of passengers, when it left the Queen’s Hotel at 9.30 a.m., and there were five more to be picked up on the way, two at the Taipo, and three at Jackson’s. Among those who were seated on the coach when it left Kuraara we noticed the Hon. G. C. Hawker, M.A., and M.H. A. for North Adelaide ; the Rev. C. Bodington and G. E. Mason, Church Missioners; Mr Jas. Wood, of Christchurch ; Mr and Mrs Cook, of Nelson ; Mr Macfarlane, Town Clerk of Ross, married yesterday to the only daughter of W. Winchester, Esq., head master public school, Ross, who accompanies him; and also one of the officers of the Salvation Army. There are no tidings, we learn this afternoon, of the twelve passengers who were capsized in the lugger Arthur, off Cooktown, during a heavy squall, and it is feared they have all perished. The Hon. G. C. Hawker, M.A., who arrived here last Saturday, and returned by the coach this morning to the East Coast, remarked that he had travelled in many parts of the world, including Switzerland and regions of the Himalayas, but never did he witness such magnificent scenery as in the Otira Gorge. He also paid a very high compliment to the skill of the driver, Mr Arthur Davis. Mr Hawker, who hails from South Australia, where he held appointments as Chief Secretary hi 'he Boucant Ministry in 187**, and subsequently Commissioner of Public Works in the Boucant and Morgan Ministries, was advised by his sons, when he resolved to visit New Zealand, to be sure and make the overland journey to the West Coast of the Middle Island. And he has been highly delighted with his trip. Mr T. J. Smith, tinsmith, informs the public of Kumara and Dillman’s that he j is prepared to execute all description of I iron and zinc work, and solicits a share of ) patronage.

“Tommy” O’Loughlin, the well-known pedestrian, and who has lately been employed at the Taipo bridge contract, has completely recovered from his late accident, and now, we learn, challenges Reid, of Westport, to run him three distances, 100 yards up to 440, for £IOO a-side. The Tuapeka paper learns that gold has been struck by the miners employed in carrying on boring operations at the Island Block. A new set of boring rods is being procured, as the set at present in use is not giving entire satisfaction.

His Honour Judge Ward and Mrs Ward conducted services at the Invercargill Baptist Church on Sunday, the 24th ultimo.

The three girls who were wounded in the Coburg tragedy by themselves, or one another, are still under medical treatment (writes the Melbourne correspondent of the Dunedin Herald). The eldest and third eldest were the most severely injured, and they are very weak from the loss of blood from the gashes made in their arms. The other one is further advanced towards recovery, and it is expected they will all be well enough to appear at the adjourned inquest towards the end of the month. Mrs Hampton, who is confined in the Melbourne Gaol, appears to have regained her reason, and is said to have expresed regret at her conduct, though she can give no reason for it. The son who lost his reason on the day of the funeral of the victim of the tragedy, and laboured under the delusion that someone wished to poison him, is also in gaol, as he had to be placed under restraint. He, too, has regained his mental equilibrium and is almost as well as ever. The police are in charge of the house where the girls are, and the latter will, when well enough, be charged with the murder of the sister. A Mrs Alex. Robinson has been arrested at Roma, in Queansland, on a charge of murdering her former husband, named Burkett, about two years and a half ago, by administering poison. The accusation is made by the prisoner’s sister, a Mrs Martindale. When Mrs Robinson was brought before the Police Court, her sister deposed that between the 15th and the 25th December, 1883, the prisoner administered doses of white precipitate and oxalic acid to Burkett in soup, and on the night of the Ist January gave him laudanum in a sleeping draught, which killed him. The witness acknowledged that she knew that the poisoning was going on, and did nothing to stop it. At the close of her evidence the Police Magistrate ordered her into the dock as an accessory. She was charged as such and remanded.

A whaleboat race between the Waitemata and Hauraki Rowing Clubs, for £2OO a-side, is to be pulled on the 17th of April next, and Mr Owen Humphreys has been appointed stakeholder, Mr Thos. Henderson, jun., judge, Mr J. Waymouth, sen., judge of the weather, and the start is to be a mutual one, thus dispensing wfth the services of a starter.

The Sydney water police made a seizure of 150 boxes, containing 10,725 valuable cigars, which were being smuggled ashore from the Messageries Company’s steamer Sydney.

The Rev. A. Reid says:—“Tried by the moral test, the missionary spirit test, or any other test, there was not a country under heaven which was more eminently Christian than Fiji.”