The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1886.

Kumara Times, Issue 2918, 6 March 1886, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1886.

The first quarterly meeting of the new Licensing Committee for the Borough of of Kumara takes place at the Court House, on Monday next, at noon. Nominations to fill two ordinary vacancies in the Borough Council, consequent on the retirement of Councillors Davies and Kroener, will be received up to noon on Monday week, 15th inst., and the poll for election, if necessary, will be taken on Friday, the 26th inst. Ah annular eclipse of the sun took place this morning, and may have been observed as a partial eclipse from many places in New Zealand north of the latitude of Dunedin. At Kumara, however, mist obscured the sun during the eclipse, which terminated at about 8.20 a.m. The eclipse is of no scientific interest, as annular eclipses occur about as frequently as total eciipses. The one this morning could only be observed as an annular one over a narrow belt of the earth’s surface, between the longitudes of 149° 35' east and 90° 7' west, andlatitudes of 11° 26'south and 22° 33' north, i. e., from a few miles east of Torres Straits, across the Pacific Ocean to Mexico and over that country to the Gulf of Mexico. When the mist cleared away, we observed nine or ten large spots on the sun, which will probably be visible for three or four days to come. Commander Edwin wired at 12.5 p.m.— “Indications of strong and cold winds between east and north and north-west after 12 hours from now; glass further fall.” The Christchurch coach arrived this afternoon, at the usual hour. Professor Rice was a passenger by the coach yesterday morning for Christchurch. A magnificent specimen of the lilium auratum (or golden lily) was shown us today by Mr P. D. Todd, draper, in whose garden this beautiful plant has grown to such perfection. From a bulb obtained in the spring of this season from Mr Felix Feran, the renowned horticulturist of Maori Point, two or three stems have grown together into one broad stem, and from this one stem there are upwards of fifty flowers now in full bloom ; the correct number is probably 53 or 54, but they are so close together that to count them is a somewhat difficult matter. Such a magnificent display upon a single stem we remember never to have previously seen anywhei’e. A hail of ice storm of unprecedented severity swept over Woodburn and district, New South Wales, a few nights ago. Pieces of ice measuring up to 12 inches in circumference, and weighing from Boz. to IGoz., fell for about five minutes, killing several horses and cattle, poultry and pigs. The ice came through the roofs of houses, completely riddling them, as if they were paper. Nearly all the windows in the district are broken. The damage, to the crops is considerable, amounting to several thousands of pounds. The greater portion of the early maize is destroyed. A few persons were wounded by the hail, but no one is reported as seriously hurt. While the storm lasted many fainted and some were panicstricken. Such a heavy fall of ice was never known before.

The Si. James’ Gazette says :—“Both Austria and Russia are making great preparations for war. This is being clone with as much secresy as circumstances permit, but it is being clone, as some of our own manufacturers, we believe, are aware. It is all by way of precaution, no doubt, aud in obedience to the suggestions uf suspicion and uncertainty which have rarely been more oppressive than they are at present. There is a prevalent belief abroad that the whole condition of affairs in South-Eastern Europe demands and must entail resettlement upon a wide basis, and that before long —• almost immediately, in fact. In such a state of things the jealousies of the Powers most concerned naturally take a'arm, and the usual precautions to guard against surprise ai’e only to be expected.” Drunken Stuff. —How many children and women are slowly and surely dying, or rather being killed, by excessive doctoring, or the daily use of some drug or drunken stuff called medicine, that no one knows what it is made of, who can easily be cured and saved by American Co.’s Hop Bitters, which is so pure, simple, and harmless that the most frail woman, weakest invalid, or small child can trust in it 1 See